The Onion and the Artichoke
by mysupermanwillcome
Summary: Ogres are like onions, they have layers.' 'A woman is like a...artichoke. You have to work hard but eventually you get to the heart.' A drama/romance about an Onion and an Artichoke...aka Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. Co-write with charli quack!
1. Welcome to Modele

**Hey it's Charli and Bunny here! We're back with a brand new story for y'all! The title might be a little weird but once you get more into the story hopefully you'll understand. If you have any questions feel free to PM the to us! Anyway we hope you enjoy, we worked hard on it!**

**Love, Bunny and Charli aka _mysupermanwillcome_ and _charli quack_.**

**Disclaimer: You think we could come up with something as phenommenal as High School Musical? But we weren't really trying so you never know...)  
**

_**Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.**_

_**-Washington Irving**_

_Hey guys, Taylor here. Welcome to this month's Modele edition!_

_So we have a new addition to our staff! When I found out they were bringing in a newmanager, my jaw dropped to the floor. Let's just say yours truly was little jealous they didn't think she could manage Modele. But welcome to Modele Gabriella Montez Sister, be careful of Karl from accountants, he can be trouble! No, just kiding! He's a real sweetie, but don't worry girl, I'll tell you all the real players at lunch! So like I said, I was shocked they didn't pick yours truly for the job but I know Gabriella will do a fine job! By the looks of her resume, I know I'm right! _

_Have you guys ever planned a wedding? Well have you ever planned a wedding with your complete opposite? We want completely different things! I don't think I can remember two more stressful weeks in my entire life. Not even finals week at college! He wants yellow flowers but I want beige, he wants British I want French, he wants 'It Takes Two' I want 'That's Where It Is'! _

_Luckily there are some things we can agree on. Like getting our awesome Modele family and friends to be involved. Not only are the guys and gals from work gonna be bridesmaids and groomsmen, but we've got our Mr. Bolton doing the wedding snaps(as our Modele photographer will be busy getting married!!) Ryan the Gorgeous will be designing a gown for moi, we'll have a menu planned out by none other than Mr. Zeke Baylor, Modele Food Editor, Ms. Sharpay Evans will be styling the bridal party to perfection and Kelsi, newly promomted PA to GM, takes on the role of wedding planner and our music consultant Could anything be more perfect? _

_Now,onto something a little more sombre, our favourite Australian actor Heath Ledger died of a drug over-dose. A moment of silence for rememberance of Mr. Ledger. We're gonna miss him, R.I.P Heath._

_So, here we come to the end of another busy month, we're welcoming a new staff member, farewelling our favourite Aussie and, I'm trying to plan my wedding without going entirely bald. _

_Until next time, Tay, xx_

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**A small, petite brunette woman was showing a taller, dark haired lady through the crazy scene that is Modele Magazine. **_

"So, Gabriella? Hi, I'm Kelsi." Kelsi Neilson shook the hand of her new boss, to be honest she wasn't quite sure whether to be intimidated or surprised by how down to earth she seemed.

Gabriella Montez was taller than Kelsi, though everyone was. The tiny brunette observed her new boss through her round specs. Gabriella had friendly brown eyes, curly hair and a don't-mess-with-me attitude written on her face. Still, her eyes spakeld when she smiled and she didn't seem the stuck up country-club type who only ate caviar stirred thrice with a sugar coated teaspoon.

"Hey. Gabriella. So, I guess you're my PA right?"

Kelsi nodded, smiling. "That would be me. Now, you want a tour or do you want to see Taylor first?" she asked.

"Na, I think I'll have the tour. I wanna meet the team." Kelsi nodded and the two set off down the hall, Kelsi pointing out this and that as they went.

"So this is Zeke Baylor's office, he's our cooking prodigy. And these are the changing rooms..."

"Wait," Gabriella walked over to the tall african-american man who was hurriedly scribbling something in a journal.

"Hi, I'm Gabriella, I'm the new manager. Gabriella extended her hand to him as he stood up, shaking it with vigour and telling her his name.

"Can I ask you something?" he said suddenly. Gabriella nodded. "Well, uh, what do you think of these fat-free chocolate chip cookies? It's this new recipe I've been working on." Gabriella could tell he was nervous.

Gabriella took a bite, "Oh my freaking GOSH! Watch out Jamie Oliver! These are fricken genius! Will you be my personal chef?" Gabirella burst out, realising that she was this guy's boss and that this probably was not normal boss behaviour a little too late.

Gabriella took another cookie out of the bag that Zeke was holding out to her and passed it to Kelsi. The assistant had a similar reaction, laughing,

"Zeke I don't know how you do it but if this is healthy _and_ good for you, you better get down to modelling and give these out before they all faint from lack of food!"

Zeke smiled, knowing it was another opportunity to see Sharpay, the love of his life. "Maybe."

"Anyway Zeke gotta go show her the ropes! Bye!" Kelsi waved while Gabriella took another couple of cookies from the bag. She smiled at Zeke before following Kelsi out.

"Ok Gabriella-"

"Uh, call me Gabby,"

"Ok, Gabby, here we have our um, our... our art deparment." Kelsi mumbled shyly as a tall, dark haired man came into view.

Kelsi began fiddling with the cookie still in her hand, leaving Gabriella to deduce that this was Kelsi's office romance in the making.

Apparently the guy had a name too.

"Hi, I'm Jason," he said, extending his hand and smiling.

Gabriella saw his eyes flick over Kelsi before he looked away again, his cheeks gaining colour.

"Gabriella" she replied, barely able to supress a giggle.

Kelsi's eyes turned green. Was Gabriella flirting with him? Was that little 'innocent' giggle a way to flirt with Jason the artistic director that soblindly had Kelsi's heart? Maybe she misjudged Gabriella.

"So, you're our new manager huh?" Jason asked Gabriella. Gabriella saw his eye flick over Kelsi again. Her assistant seemed to have turned to stone. Gabriella made a mental note to ask her why later.

"Yeah, I am. I'm just touring round the office and meeting all the senior employees. Once I've met them all I'll turn my attention to each of the individual departments." Jason nodded.

"Well, welcome to the team. Don't worry, we're friendly." Jason gave up a boyish grin to Gabriella, a d**a**zzling smile to Kelsi and was then whisked off by a memeber of his staff, leaving Gabreilla staring at Kelsi, Kelsi staring love struck at the retreating Jason.

'So...Jason's pretty cute.' Gabriella said trying to pry information from Kelsi as they turned back into the corridor.

"I didn't notice." She replied through cleched teeth.

Kelsi thought Gabriella was trying to take Jason for her own. If Gabriella went after Jason, Kelsi would have no chance with competition like THAT!

"Really? By the way you guys kept looking at each other I would've thought that you had a thing going on there. Maybe I'm wrong, but you guys were so cute I almost laughed!"

_Maybe I wasn't wrong about Gabriella_ Kelsi thought.

"Yeah... I guess he has got a cute smile." Kelsi told Gabi, shrugging and smiling shyly.

Kelsi blushed while Gabriella grinned, they turned into another room filled with clothes and beauty essentials as Kelsi turned to two blonde peoplea guy and a girl, in the middle of the room.

"So anyway this is Gabriella Montez, she's our new manager."

"Hi." Gabriella said offering her hand.

"Oh my gosh where do you get your nails done? They're so cute!" Sharpaythe blonde Beauty Director exclaimed eyeing Gabriella's nails.

She had a white daisy on each of her nails, all perfectly painted with not a smudge in sight.

"I do them myself." she replied shyly.

"No freaking way! We're getting together so you can do mine, is Saturday ok?" Sharpay asked. Gabriella was surprised at the blonde's force.

"Excuse Shar. When she sees something she likes, well, don't get in her way. When we were younger she dragged me to a sale and saw this bag that she liked. She sent a girl to hopsital for going for the same bag." Ryanthe Wardrobe Director, told Gabriella.

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh as she turned back to Sharpay.

"Saturday'll be fine. Just flick me an email and I'll give you my address k?" she asked Sharpay, both girls laughing like old friends.

"Well anyway we need to go, we still have the rest of the building to see!" Kelsi said to Gabriella, looking from Sharpay, to Ryan to the room next door full of models and people doing various tasks for what was obviously a photoshoot.

"Looks like there's a shoot soon. Let'sgo catch Chad, our photographer, andwatch him doing his stuff!"

Gabriella laughed and nodded, telling the twins she'd see them later. She followed Kelsi through to the next room where she was immediately confronted by a bushy haired man with seemingly endless energy.

"Chad." The man said, shaking Gabriella's hand.

"Hi,I'm Gabriella, the new-"

"You're the new manager I've heard so much about!" he laughed, Gabriella looked confused for a second before he clarified,

"Oh, um, I'm engaged to Taylor Mckess-"

"McKessie. So_you're_ the lucky guy?"

Chad blushed slightly and looked away.

"Well, she's lucky to have you. I've seen you're work, it's amazing." Gabirella complimented as Chad fiddled with the focus on the camera.

"Thank you. But..." before Gabriella could stop him he was pointing his camera at her and saying, "Smile!"

"Oh no, no please.." Gabriella tried modestly to deter him.

"Nope, staff rules. All newbies haveto have a photo put on the wall! Come on..."

"The wall?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah, it has a picture of every person on staff. Your turn. Three, two, one, smile!"

Gabriella did as she was told and Chad got his shot. "Nice!"

Gabriella laughed as he showed her the photo.

"Hey Chad, where's our director?" Kelsi asked, looking around for someone.

'Ahh. Well he was fliriting with some new model and I think he's taken her to lunch. Why don't you come back later and then Gabby can meet him?"

"OK, we'll see you soon." Kelsi said, as she and Gabriella took off again.

"We'll go see Taylor then," Kelsi said as they entered the elevator.

They walked down a hallway and came to a door with a sign reading 'TAYLOR MCKESSIE' on it. Kelsi knocked and they heard a soft "come in" from the other side.

The two walked in to a messy office. There were papers, post-it notes and scrunched up rubbish everywhere.

"Sorry about the mess but I haven't had the time to even think about cleaning!" Taylor said without even looking at who it was. When she did look up she said,

"So you must be Gabriella, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Taylor said hurriedly, extending her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too!" Gabriella said and the two shook hands when Taylor caught a glimpse of Gabriella's nail.

"Your nails are so cool!"

Gabriella turned to Kelsi "Do you guys not have nail polish here or something?"

"No we do, we get these really cute colours that call out to me. They say "Taylor! Put me on! Paint me on your fingernails!" but I don't have time! I have to plan a wedding, do my job and I need at least 9 hours sleep!"

The three girls laughed and Gbariella grabbed Taylor's left hand, flipping it so a certain finger was in view.

"Girl that is one heck of a rock!"

"Yeah who knew Chad had it in him?" Kelsi said.

Taylor shot her a dirty look even though she knew it was true.

"Why?" Gabriella asked.

"Chad's a little clueless to this sorta stuff." Kelis replied.

"Hey he is not! He just focuses on other stuff!" Taylor said defending her fiance.

"He took you to McDonalds for your first date because that was his idea of romantic!" Kelsi said.

"He's grown up from that little kid stage!"

Kelsi just shrugged and looked away. Taylor, much to everyone's surprise, went on to say,

"OK, so I guess it was quite a shock."

'Well Tay I need to go show Gabriella everything else so we're gonna go and leave you to your cleaning!' Kelsi said tentatively, still laughing a little from Taylor's last statement.

"Ok see you at the meeting tomorrow!" Taylor bid her goodbye and got back to giving her office a much needed clean.

"Ok so we just need to meet Troy, the modelling director and then I think we're done for the day!"

Gabriella nodded but didn't look forward to it. The name Troy brought back bad memories and she didn't like the sound of him after what Chad hadsaid.

As they made their way back down the stairs and through the corridors Gabriella tried to stop herself from forming to many opinions of a guy she hadn't met.

"Hey Chad!" Kelsi called as they re-entered the room that was housing today's photoshoot.

"Hey Kels, Gabs. If you're looking for Troy, he's just over there."

Chad pointed to a sandy haired man standing on the floor of the set with two models.

Kelsi led Gabriella over to him nad pulled him away, introducing him to thier manager.

"Troy, this is Gabriella Montez. She's the new manager."

"Hi, I'm Troy." Troy told her, extending his hand with a smile.

Gabriella found herself staring into a pair of sea blue eyes, sea blues eyes that weren't so foreign to her as her chocolate brown ones obviously were to him.

Gabriella looked away, she couldn't bare to look at a pair of eyes that gave her so much pain as a child.

** Please review! We really hope you like it!**

**Bunny & Charli xx **


	2. What Do Managers Do?

**Hey, it's us again. We got some really nice reviews, thank you so much! And we found that we did indeed have lots of spelling mistakes, thank you to whoever pointed that out, so we tried harder to find them this time. But it's a lot harder to find them in your own work because you know what you mean! And also we're both from New Zealand so we're used to spelling things differently, like 'mum', not 'mom' and 'colour', not 'color'. Anyways, we hope you enjoy!**

**Charli & Bunny. **

_**What we remember from childhood we remember forever - permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen. **_

_**-Cynthia Ozick **_

_Gabriella found herself staring into a pair of sea blue eyes, sea blues eyes that weren't so foreign to her as her chocolate bronw ones obviously were to him._

_Gabriella looked away, she couldn't bare to look at a pair of eyes that gave her so much pain as a child._

Troy was confused. No one had ever turned away from him. All the girls loved looking at him. Maybe this chick needed a little charm before they went to the next level.

'Soooooo I'm gonna like coming to work if I get to see you there.' Troy continued, putting on his "charm 'em!" smile. That's what Chad called it because he always used it when he wanted to get into a girl's pants.

Gabriella turned and started walking away, she couldn't stand the sight of him. Troy was confused.

'So why don't you like Troy?' Kelsi asked, sensing discomfort between the two, or at least from Gabriella,as Troy got back to the models.

'Ohhh...I just don't like the look of him.' Gabriella fibbed.

'Everyone loves Troy. People apply to work here just to be close to him.'

'I mean I don't like his personality.' Kelsi knew there was more but decided not to push it.

Gabriella saw the look on Kelsi's face and decided to move on. She waved a hasty good bye to Troy, seeing an odd look on his face and set off at a trot to get back out into the wide and anorexic-model-free corridor.

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Early morning. Coffee cups are being drained faster than you can say 'decaf' and all senior Modele staff are grouped around a long, board room table, anxiously waiting for the verdict from their new boss.**_

'Dude, do you even no what we're all in here for?' Troy asked Chad as the latter pulled out his seat.

'Something to do with Gabby, I bet.'

'Gabby? Who's Gabby?' Troy asked, confused.

'Dude, new manager? The girl who turned you down yesterday?'

Troy's eyes widened. 'Hey! She did not turn me down! I just wasn't trying that hard to get her!'

'Yeah, whatever dude,' Chad replied, rolling his eyes.

'Well I don't even need to try hard. She'll come to me, they all do.' Chad rolled his eyes again and they both took their seats.

The two men looked up as the editor and new manager of Modele entered the room. If ever there was a pair of women to be reckoned with, this was it. They were the last ones to arrive so they started the meeting.

Taylor spoke first, 'Morning people..' she said loftily, taking her seat at the head of the table, Gabriella sitting down next to her.

'Ok for those who haven't met her, this is Gabriella Montez she's taking on the role of manager. Be nice to her, she's the one who decides who gets payrises,' Taylor warned, looking at Richard. Richard had a reputation of giving newbies a hard time.

'So anyway I'll let her take over.' Taylor sat down and gave the nervous Gabriella an encouraging smile.

'Uh... hi. So this is just a meeting about suggestions and new ideas for this place, I noticed some people complaining about things so this is a chance to get them out there.' Gabriella looked out at everyone before continuing,

'I also want to give you guys the opportunity to ask questions...I'll be happy to answer and I hope I can help you out.'

A blonde lady with perfect clothes, not a wrinkle in sight and not a thread out of place, raised her hand. 'Uhh yes...Victoria?' Taylor asked.

'Yeah, everyone is concerned that the cleaner is not cleaning under the tables. It's really filthy down there.' She said.

'But no one looks under the tables Victoria so it doesn't matter!' Taylor replied, annoyed.

'But the cleaner will know that the undersides of the tables are clean. Isn't that satisfaction enough?'

Taylor looked to Gabriella and mouthed 'neat freak.'

Gabriella nodded. 'I'll talk to her about it.'

'Thank you! Finally, some one agrees with me!'

Gabriella looked around, seeing a fimilar face in Sharpay as the blonde raised her hand. 'Yes Sharpay?'

'You know Gabs I was wondering,' Sharpay burst out, 'are you single? Do you have a cat? What's your favourite juicy tube flavour and... yeah, describe you perfect date!'

'Uh.. my perfect date?' Taylor noticed Troy sit up straighter in his chair and sheshot a look at Chad.

'I dunno... something romantic I guess... '

Sharpay nodded expectantly, Gabriella continued. 'No cat, single yes, but not looking, and my favourite flavour is cherry.' **(You have 3 guesses as to who wrote the cherry bit!)**

Jason raised his hand, Gabriella looked at him expectantly. 'Uh, not to be rude or anything Gabs but.. uh, I was wondering, what does a manager actually do?'

'I manage things...' she said, jokingly, not sure how to answer that one.

'I look after everything, if anyone has any problems they come to me about them. And I basically make sure everything runs smoothly. I also have a lot of experience working in both the fashion industry and in publishing and I basically just want to be your guys "go-to-girl." Mr. & Mrs. Evans hired me to help take some of the stress off Tay but I want you to know we're equal. Tay's kinda more creative and I'm more.. .administerial.' Taylor nodded, backing Gabriella up.

Taylor then turned to Gabriella, asking, 'Um I was wondering if we could do something about the layout, we've had the same layout for the past six or so years and it's getting boing! And I can't do anything unless both of us agree, and the last manager designed that layout so I couldn't say anything.'

'Yeah I was really hoping to do something about that. It's the same every month. There are hundreds of fashion magazines in America so we need ours to be different, to be unique and fun. We need ours to scream "Notice me!"' With saying that Gabriella gave Troy a look.

When Gabriella said that Troy got this funny feeling in his body, like he was forgetting something. Then Troy remembered. What Gabriella said triggered a memory from when he waseleven...and Gabriella was his best friend.

Gabriella turned away from Troy, she knew he wasn't the only one in the room to have noticed the way she looked at him. She was now receiving odd looks from Sharpay, Kelsi and Taylor all simultaneously. Victoria however, was trying to inconspiciously clean the underside of the table.

Troy was just sitting there, his mind reeling as he thought back to fourteen years ago...

_Eleven-year-old Troy was sitting by a tree all alone. He was never the best looking. He had buck teeth, his hair was always messy and his clothes were really tatty. He wasn't poor, he just didn't want new clothes. Troy had a slightly up turned nose and was really very small. _

_All he wanted for Christmas was a growth spurt and for Sharpay Evans to notice him. Sharpay was beautiful. Her blonde hair was really shiny, and straight, and perfect and she always wore the best clothes. He sensed a presence beside him, Gabriella Montez. _

_Like Troy, Gabriella definitely wasn't good looking. She had thick, black-rimmedglasses, frizzy dirty brown hair and always hid her face behind a book. _

_"I wish Sharpay would notice me." _

_"Hello to you to." _

_"I mean it Gabby, I want her to notice me." _

_"I notice you Troy." Gabriella said quietly. She had always had a crush on her best friend. _

_"Yeah but I don't want you to notice me, I want someone pretty like Sharpay!" _

_"Well what's wrong with me?" _

_"Well you're an ugly nerd Gabi. I think maybe that's why Sharpay doesn't notice me, because I hang out with you. Maybe you should just leave me alone Gabi. It would be better for everyone."_

_Tears fell down Gabriella's cheeks. "You're not the best either Troy!" she yelled before running off. After that they never talked to each other and Gabriella moved away a month later._

Wow puberty did Gabriella good! Troy thought. Hmm maybe that's why she acted funny when we met before. She should really get over it, it was 14 years ago!

When the meeting ended and Gabriella and Taylor were making their way back the their conjoined offices, Troy walked up behind them and tapped Gabriella on the shoulder The two women turned around.

"Hey Troy!" Taylor greeted.

"Hi." Gabriella said wanting to get away from there.

"Hi. Um, Gabby, can I talk to you?"

Gabriella shot a look at Taylor before following Troy into her office. He stood leaning against the plum coloured couch that sat across from her desk.

She sighed, "How can I help you?"

"Well, I was wondering if my best friend would like to go to dinner tonight?" Troy asked, laying on the charm as Gabriella stood and watched him with her arms crossed and a 'don't-even think-about-it' look on her face.

"And why would I do that?" Gabriella asked scornfully. Thinking to herself that the the guy in front of her wouldn't even know what "scornfully" meant.

"Well," Troy said, still being as charming as that prince from that Disney movie, "for old time's sake? You know, catch up? You know puberty did you the world of good G."

Gabriella had had enough. "Old times? Old times?! Like back when I was the geeky chick you couldn't get rid of? Back when all you wanted was Little Miss Sharpay Evans? You know when I arrived here Shar didn't have a clue who I was? She never noticed me Troy! I was just this invisible little geek that you couldn't wait to be rid of! And now I come here and you're already trying to get in my pants? You're unbelievable.'

Troy just looked at her, to say he was surprised was an understatment. As he turned to leave Gabriella asked him one more thing.

'So, how many times have you done Sharpay?'

He didn't reply, just kept walking away from her, turning at the door with a smile and a mischievous wink. Gabriella's mouth dropped open._Disgusting._

_**The Apartment of Troy Bolton**_

_**Grunters beware!**_

Troy arrived at his apartment. It was a very respectable size, Modele Magazine paid a lot. Troy looked around. He hated his apartment, he hated the dark blue carpet and the creamy yellow coloured walls. But he hardly spent any time looking at his walls or at the floor. The only thing he liked was the size, plasma t.v and the big CD player for when the girl he brought home was a grunter. He hated grunters, they sounded like apes.

Troy dumped his keys on the counter and put his jacket on the hook. Troy was frustrated, Troy was angry but most of all Troy was confused. Gabriella rejected him.

_No kidding butthead,_ a voice inside his said piped up.

It was freaking 14 years ago! Why didn't she just get over it, he did. It's not like he broke her heart. It was what was best for him! It didn't matter who got hurt on the way, right?

**Please review!**

**Love, Charli & Bunny xx**


	3. The Slipping Martini

**Hey it's us again. So updates will be less frequent because school has started. I've (Bunny) just started a new school and Charli has so many co-curriculars it isn't funny. But we promise to update AT LEAST every 2 weeks. We'll inform you if we can't.**

** Anyway staying true to our Kiwi-ness we've put the word 'bum' somewhere in this chapter. Charli told me that in the US a bum is a homeless person. We assure you that Gabriella's butt isn't homeless. But just making sure you American readers knew.**

**Anyway, much love from Charli and Bunny! AKA _charli quack_ and _mysupermanwillcome_. **

_**Apartment of Gabriella Montez. **_

_**Gabriella is trying to get her earrings into her ears, she's so nervous she keeps jabbing herself in the eye.**_

So, it was a Friday night. And what do single girls do on Friday nights? They go out. Gabriella Elizabeth Montez was no exception. She sighed as she stuffed her feet into her black Prada stilettos and straightened up, examining her reflection in the mirror. She examined herself. Hey, one of her earlobes was bigger than the other. Don't think about that Gabriella! Think about positive things. Like you're going out tonight and you're going to meet a nice guy, a guy who won't call you a geek and ditch you. A guy who won't pretend to be your friend and end up turning his back on you. A guy who won't break your heart.

_I feel better already_, she thought. Turning her back on the mirror she checked she had all the essentials in her bag. Lip gloss, breath mints, money, pepper spray... ok, good to go. She took her keys from her bed and marched out the door, hailing a cab and heading for... well, if only she knew what.

_**Inside a Manhattan Club**_

_**People are dancing everywhere, including on the table tops. Gabriella Montez doesn't know what she's letting herself in for, or who.**_

Coloured lights flickered around the place, there was music so loud New Zealand could hear it and people were getting so drunk it was surprising they had any brain cells left. Gabriella stood preparing herself for whatever might happen that night.

_Remember Gabriella! Cute, non-backstabbing, nerd-teasing, heart-breaking guys. Now let's get drunk!_

_**Inside The Same Manhattan Club**_

_**A group of nine friends are preparing for a hard night out. Drinks are on the guy about to get hitched.**_

Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Ryan and Ryan's wife Sara. Yup all there except for one person.

"Where's Troy?" Taylor yelled over the loud, thumping music.

"Probably hooking up with yet another girl." Chad replied.

"Hey that's not very nice!" Troy said reappearing. "A guy can't go to the bathroom without being accused of hooking up with a girl?"

"A guy can, you can't" Sharpay said.

Before Troy could retaliate Kelsi stepped in. "Guys we're here to have fun, not argue!"

"We're not here to flirt with Jason either." Sharpay stated. Kelsi and Jason turned red.

"Come one Ry, let's go dance!" Sara yelled taking Ryan's hand.

"See ya later!" Ryan said to the gang.

"Oooooo there's a hottie over by the bar. I'll catch you guys later!" Troy said walking away.

"Sharpay, do you want to maybe dance?" Zeke said so quietly Shapray almost couldn't hear him but she did and took his hand and led him to the dance floor.

"I need a drink!" Chad stated. Taylor nodded and followed him to the bar leaving Jason and Kelsi alone, looking anywhere but at each other. Jason finally looked at her and offered his hand, silently asking her to dance. The two left to go dance, all of the gang forgetting about their hehem, "unattached" friend over by the bar who could've desperately used some help.

_**Still in the Same Nightclub**_

_**Gabriella Montez isn't the only one wanting a drink.**_

"Hey pretty lady." Some guy to Gabriella's left slurred.

She just looked at him, rolling her eyes and asking, "Don't you have somewhere better to be? You know like.. gosh, I dunno, prison maybe?"

The guy stared at her with bloodshot eyes for a moment before passing out.

"Fancy meeting you here." Gabriella heard a voice behind her. She knew that voice. She hated that voice. Gabriella turned around.

"Hello Bolton." Gabriella said boredly.

"Having fun?" he asked, gesturing to the passed out man beside her.

"I was until you showed up. Now if you don't mind..." she said getting up to leave.

"Hey, hey! The night's just getting started, you can't leave now!" he said as though he was trying to coax a five year old out of taking her teddy bear to the the bathroom with her.

"Come on, everyone interesting from work is here and Taylor I'll bet is just bursting to talk weddings. It'll be fun... come on Gabriella, live a little!"

"Live a little? What, live like you you mean? No thanks Bolton, some of us have class."

"You think I don't have class? Come on G, we both work for America's hottest fashion magazine, I'm young, hot and available. I-"

"Availabe huh? I bet the girl you hooked up with half an hour ago would beg to differ."

"What Michelle? Na, she know's its just a bit of fun. Come on..." Gabriella just rolled her eyes and gave him a dirty look.

"Ok so I was kidding! I haven't made out with anyone since yesterday. Look, no lipstick on my shirt, no perfume either, you can check if you want.."

"Gosh Troy Bolton I am not your mother! I am not gonna check your laundry for stains!"

"Yeah well whatever, come hang with your new buddies, boss."

"I hope to God you don't mean yourself."

"Of course not bestie!" Gabriella shot Troy a dirty look.

"Look, Taylor looks really bored, do you really want to let her down?"

"Yeah she looks really uncontent." Gabriella replied observing Taylor laughing.

Then, before Gabriella could stop him, Troy cupped his hands round his mouth and bellowed,

"Yo Taylor!"

Taylor, of course, looked over immediately and spotted Gabriella. She and Chad began gesturing wildly that Troy bring Gabriella over. Before she could do anything to stop him, she felt Troy pulling her trough the sea of people to a booth in the corner.

"Troy get your hands off me!" Gabriella hissed as they approached the table, he gave her a sly look, moved his hand and pinched her bum then removed his hand all together so she could go sit beside Taylor. Gabriella shot him another filthy look.

"What are you doing here?!" Taylor asked giving her a brief hug.

"Just decided to let loose. I needed a night out. Are you here with just Chad and Troy?"

"No the whole gang's here!"

"Gang...?"

"Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Ryan, Me, Chad, Troy and Sara when she's here. She's a doctor so sometimes she works really weird hours."

"Ok. So, Who's Sara?"

"Oh! Ryan's wife of about one year. It was about time they got married! They'd been dating since they were like eighteen!"

"Wow! Eighteen? That's so cute!" Gabriella gushed.

"Nu uh, not as cute as those two out there..." Taylor gently pointed to a spot on the middle of the dancefloor were two people were laughing and dancing and no doubt, enjoying themselves.

"No way! Jason asked Kelsi to dance??!! Score!" Gabriella high fived Taylor excitedly.

"Score? Who said score? Who scored?" Troy asked frantically, looking around. _Did Gabby score? That doesn't sound like her??!! _Troy thought maically.

"Jason scored, Maybe. Chad let's dance." Taylor said dragging her fiancé to the dance floor near Jason and Kelsi.

"So, Gabriella how have you been since I last saw you?" Troy asked Gabriella.

"Perfect. I felt like a big annoying problem left my life. But now it's back."

"Ouch, Gabby. You cut me deep." Troy said dramtically putting his hand over his heart.

"It's Gabriella." she corrected.

"I always called you Gabby when we were younger."

"You also had buck teeth and messy hair. I wonder what your little sex toys will think when they see baby photos of you."

"Sex toys?"

"Those girls hanging off your arms thinking that you actually give a flying monkey about them."

"They think I care about them?" Troy said unbelievingly. "They know it's nothing serious."

"You're such an asshole!"

"Well you're a who needs to stop holding a grudge!"

_Splash!_

"Whoops. Must've slipped." Gabriella said sarcastically.

Her eyes fell to the now empty glass in her hand, travelling next to the remains of her Martini that were now acting as temporary highlights in Troy's hair.

'Wh- uh- GABBY!"

"I told you, it's Gabriella!" Gabriella told him with fire in her eyes. Troy just looked at her in shock and confusion...

"Enjoy your Martini." Gabriella said before grabbing her purse and walking off.

Troy just sat there looking at her retreating figure. She pushed her way past some blonde girl who looked vaguely familiar to Troy. He was pulled out of his reverie by Taylor, as always, and as his boss, she just had to ask.

"Troy, uh what happened to you?' she asked as if she didn't want to know the answer.

"Yeah, and what have you done with Gabi?" Sharpay whined. Troy just looked at them in surprise.

Troy Bolton did not get drinks dumped on him by angry women. In fact, women didn't usually dump anything on him. He was always the one who had to dump them.

"She just thought I was hot and wanted me to cool down..?" Troy suggested hopefully.

Taylor just rolled her eyes. Zeke, Chad and Ryan laughed, all of them vowing the reign of the great Troy Bolton was coming to an end.

_**Still in the Same Nightclub.**_

_**And whoever said love was for losers?**_

"...and she stepped on the ball!" Jason finished. Kelsi cracked up laughing. Kelsi and Jason, oblivious to the incident that had recently taken place, were still on the dance floor. To say they were enjoying each others company would be a crime, they were loving it.

"I love your laugh." Jason said quietly.

"What?" Kelsi yelled.

"I need a bath!" Jason replied.

"Oh...that's nice!" Kelsi looked at Jason oddly for a second before hastily rearranging her features. He seemed to have caught her look though and his cheeks coloured.

"Come on," she said softly, noticing his embarrassment and slipping her hand into his, "Let's go see what the others are up to."

"Dude what happened to you?" Jason asked Troy a**s** he and Kelsi arrived at the table.

"Gabriella thought I was hot and helped me cool down."

Kelsi couldn't help but choke a laugh as he talked of her boss. She hastily turned it into a cough as Sharpay whacked her on the back.

"So I um, I guess you'll only be seeing her in the daytime." Kelsi said eventually.

This time it was Sharpay, Taylor and Sara's turn to laugh. Troy just smiled cheekily and said, "Yeah I guess so. Good thing I'm at my best during the daytime."

This sent everyone into a fit of laughter, Kelsi and Jason locking eyes on each other as Jason's thoughts reeled.

_Man she is pretty! Why oh why did she have to be too good for me?_

_**Outside the Nightclub**_

_**Are there NO cabs left in New York City?**_

Gabriella was waiting on the street for a cab to come and take her back to the comfort of her home.

_Why does Troy have to be such a dick? I'm allowed to hold a grudge. You never tell a girl that she's ugly, it's pratically illegal._

She sighed as she at last arrived home. Going into her room she slipped off her stilettos, welcoming the feel of carpet. She threw her purse down on her bed and sat down on it with a sigh.

_Troy was a monkey's ass. He was a cocky, stupid son-of-a-female dog monkey's ass. He should just disappear. Man I hate him. You know what? Troy Bolton is vile. OK Gabriella, let's make a vow. _

She walked over to her desk and scribbled somehting on a piece of paper.

_"I, Gabriella Elizabeth Montez, hereby vow to hate Troy Bolton for eternity and a day."_

She stood back and admired the scrap of paper before her. Smiling to herself, she tucked it into her bra strap. One place where he would never find it.

**Moral of the story? Never anger a lady with a martini. And by the way thank you for telling us how much of a jerk Troy is! We both definitely agree!**

**Charli and Bunny xx **


	4. This is why I hate Mondays

**Hello! Happy Saturday! Or Friday for some. We hope you guys enjoy this! And thank you so much for the reviews and alerts. Not much else to say so enjoy!**

**Love, Charli & Bunny.**

**Disclaimer:**** In a world where the grass is pink and Richard Simmons isn't gay.**

**"Life isn't a garden...so stop being a hoe!"**

**-Unknown**

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Mondays are no one's favourite day of the week.**_

Mondays were always a drag to everyone. Gabriella Montez, of course, was no exception. But now she hated them even more because at work there was a certain monkey's ass waiting for her.

"So, Montez... nice move you pulled at the club Friday..." Taylor said, confidently leaning on her friend's desk as the brunette sighed, her head in her hands.

"Well he deserved it." Gabriella replied.

Taylor looked confused. "Come now, I know Troy can be a bit of a sleaze but I've known him since college... he's not that bad."

"Since College? Oh my gosh poor you! How did you cope?"

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Honestly, he's not that bad."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Gabriella said under her breath.

"What?'"Taylor asked.

"Oh nothing, just talking to myself!" Gbariella replied.

Taylor didn't look convinced but dropped the subject anyway. "So, what's on the agenda today, Montez?"

"Launch day today! I'm so excited, this is the first magazine out for me! I can't wait to read the sales." Gabriella rambled on. Taylor knew she would go on forever.

"I really wanna beat that stupid _Promise_. I hate that magazine. All they do is tell people that they're better than them! I don't know why people buy that magazine, right Taylor?" Gabriella looked to Taylor only to find an empty space. "Taylor?"

"Aw did little Miss Gabriella Manager get ditched?" Troy said appearing in the doorway. He had this annoying little smirk on his face. A smirk that said he knew he was getting to her.

"What are you doing here Martini boy?" Gabriella sighed.

Troy looked at her and crossed the room to her desk. "Well Boss, I was wondering... waht are you doing tonight?"

Gabriella could practically see him laying on the charm. The coy little smile, the flirty eyes, the I-know-you-want-me demeanour.

"Well, let me see. I'm going out to buy the latest issue of this little magazine I happen to work at and assess how the new layouts work and deciding whether or not to fire the modelling director."

Troy just looked at her, still with the flirty eyes, the charming smile. "Really? Well, let me say this, that modelling director? He's got style. He really knows what he's doing with those pictures... and he know's how to pick 'em." He smirked again and Gabriella sighed inwardly, preparing her come back.

"Yeah? Well too bad he can't stop wearing last season's jeans."

"Last season? Honey these jeans are straight from the company closet! You don't want to go offending Mr. Klein now do you?"

Gabriella smiled. Her best, winning smile. "Well then... as for firing my modelling director, where did you say those jeans were from?"

"Uh.. nowhere. Why would I, Troy Bolton, Modelling Manager for Modele Magazine have to steal jeans from the company closet? That's ridiculous!" Gabriella gave him a look and rolled her eyes.

"So, about dinner then-"

"No Troy!'

"Come on Gabby. For old time's sake!"

"What so you can call me an ugly geek again?"

"Ugly Geek? Wa-What! Gabby when did I ever call you an ugly geek?" He looked genuinely confused.

Gabriella pointed to the door and screamed. "GET OUT!"

"But I never called you an ugly geek!"

"Yes you did." Gabriella said while tears ran down her face.

"Well technically I called you a nerd." Gabriella gave Troy a milk curdling glare.

"Fine I'm going! Sheesh." Troy said putting his hands in surrender position.

"But that dinner date is always avaliable." Troy said before leaving.

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Tuesday may just be Gabriella Montez's new favourite day of the week. **_

Troy knocked on Gabriella's door.

"Come in!" he heard Gabriella's faint voice. He opened the door, wondering if it was the last thing he would ever do.

Gabriella looked up to see the last person she wanted to see. She would be happy to see Adolf Hitler if it meant not seeing Troy.

"You have some nerve coming in here."

"I bare good news and chocolate." Troy said handing Gabriella her favourite chocolate bar.

"How did you know this was my favourite?" She asked confusedly.

"It's always been your favourite."

She gave him a look. "Alright, so what's the good news?"

"It's concerning _Promise_."

"You said it was _good_, how is_ that _good?"

"Well we beat them for first day sales. I'm hoping that's good."

"Oh my gosh that's excellent!" Gabriella was ecstatic. She beat one of the most popular magazines. In all her excitement, she leapt up and hugged Troy. When she realised what she was doing she quickly let go.

"Can't keep your hands off me, can you Montez?" Troy said with a smirk.

"Oh shut it Bolton."

Gabriella pulled away, whacking Troy on the chest. A small smile played on Troy's lips. Wow, a civil action from Gabriella. And it felt nice.

"So really, how have you been since we last saw each other?" Troy asked, genuinely interested.

Gabriella took a moment to study him. Was the monkey's ass trying to make conversation without hitting on her or making fun of her?

She sighed, "I've been good."

He smiled, nodding. Wishing she would continue. She did.

"I graduated top of my class at college. What about you?"

Troy sighed, thinking he ws perhaps staring too much.

"I've been good. I took to photography and graphics in high school. Somehow I went through college and ended up here."

"That's pretty cool. I'm surprised you made it through college!"

"Yeah well I'm glad I did. It's how I met Chad, Taylor and everyone else."

Gabriella nodded and the two slipped into a comfortable silence. Gabriella nodded, fiddling with the chocolate bar still in her hand.

"I can't believe you still remember my favourite chocolate bar flavour!" Troy just shrugged. To be honest he couldn't believe it either.

"Wanna half it?"Gabriella said gesturing the bar in her hand.

"Same old Gabriella, always sharing." Troy noted. Gabriella laughed.

She opened the plastic wrapping carefully, breaking the bar in two. Looking at them for a moment, she handed him the bigger half.

He looked at it for a moment, then took her half out of her hand and swapped them. Now she had a larger piece and he had a smile on his face. She looked at him questioningly.

"What? It's _your_ favourite!" She just rolled her eyes and took a bite.

"So, how are you parents?" she asked, still chewing.

"Manners, Montez," he said teasingly. "They're good though. And yours?"

"Fine." Gabriella replied.

"Good."

"Does your dad still coach the basketball team at that high school?" Gabriella asked.

"Yep, he's retiring soon though."

"Did you play?"

"Yup, he was quite disappointed when I didn't try to pursue basketball as a career."

"Wow, you must have been good."

Troy nodded modestly, spreading his hands as if to say, "I guess...".

"So," he continued as Gabriella looked away again, "you should come down to the casting session later... you know you had those new rules about which models to cast? Maybe you should come and over see everything...?"

Gabriella nodded, a small smile on her face. "Ok, I will. Three-thirty right?" Troy nodded.

'Hey, Gabriella," Kelsi said, popping her head in the door. "You've got a meeting with Jase and Tay in three minutes." Gabriella nodded and smiled at her assistant. Kelsi smiled back and nodded at Troy.

Troy turned back to Gabriella. "Looks like your needed." he said.

She nodded. He turned to leave, then turned back around, thinking to try his luck one more time.

Gabriella nodded, liking having a civil conversation Troy. It was nice.

"So...dinner this Friday?" And of course he had to wreck it.

"Troy we both know that you're gonna try and get in my pants and then forget about me afterwards if I say yes."

"I'm not the superficial little boy I was when I was eleven!"

"Well then prove that to me." _Crap Gabriella what are you doing? You vowed to hate him forever!_

"Trust me, I will."

Gabriella looked at him for a second longer before he turned and walked out the door. _Great! Now I've got to pretend to give a guy I hate a chance!_

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Do these girls eat anything??**_

Gabriella looked at her watch as she made her way downstairs to the casting. The meeting with Taylor and Jason had gone well, now all she had to was fight off a room of blonde, stick thin, starving models who she was not going to hire. She took a deep breath.

_Well, this should be fun._

She found Chad and Ryan already there. Casting was a big deal. The right clothes on the wrong girl equalled the wrong clothes. The right clothes on the right girl equalled mega-bucks.

"Gabby!" Chad exclaimed, taking her over to where Ryan, and now Sharpay were sitting at a long table, assistants hovering as they prepared everything.

Gabriella sat down, Chad on one side, and empty seat on the other. "What are we waiting for?" she whispered to Chad softly, not wanting to look like an idiot in front of her staff.

"Well," Chad began, ready to explain it to her. "All the models are in the next room, they'll come through one at a time, hand over their photos and then we'll see them walk. Then it's polaroids and they're out of here."

Troy suddenly appeared in the seat next to Gabriella with a smile. She gave a small smile back and he called for the session to begin. With that his assistant called the first girl in.

She walked up to table, smiling at Troy and handing him a photo with details on the back.

"Right," Troy exhaled, "this is Jasmine and she's with Elite. Alright Jasmine, let's see what you can do."

Troy sat back in his chair, something Gabriella suddenly found impossible to do. "I'm sorry, Jasmine before we start can I uh, can I just ask you a quick question?" Jasmine nodded and Troy turned to his boss.

"What size are you?" Gabriella asked bluntly. "One." Jasmine replied immediatley, obvioulsy scared. "But if you need me to, I'll shed a few pounds, I'm one stomach fluid away from a zero."

Gabriella didn't say anything for a while.

"Alright Jasmine, if you please," Tory said continuing, even though every other staff memeber at the table was now looking at Gabi, remembering what she said at the meeting.

'No, actually Jasmine I'm sorry but we've seen enough. We're no longer employing models under a size four but if you do gain some weight we'd be really happy to see you again." Gabriella said, staning up and shaking the disgruntled girl's hand. Troy looked like he'd been slapped.

Troy huffed. 'Next!' he yelled and another bleached blonde model strutted out. She walked over to the table, but only made eyes with Troy. She handed him her photo, again with details on the back. 'Guys this is Emma. She's here with Elite as well.'

Gabriella shook her head. 'Emma what size are you?'

'Size zero, is there any other way?'

'Well we're making some changes and we're not taking any models under size four. If you want to gain some weight and come back in, we'd be happy to give you another try.'

Emma looked at her in disbelief. 'Size four! Are you kidding me? Do you want me to be obese?' she shouted, her voice dripping with attitude.

'Do you want me to be deaf?' Gabriella said, mimicking her tone of voice.

Emma just looked at Troy, obviously hoping the director would vouch for her. He just gave a defeated shrug and Emma stormed from the room.

"Next!" Sharpay called loudly and a new redhead model walked in.

"Name?" Sharpay asked, taking control before Troy flipped out.

The model looked taken aback, not used to dealing with the Beauty Director.

"Uh, Carmen." she said at last, flipping her copper hair back and sticking out her boobs, the other two women eyed them suspiciously.

"Size?" Gabriella asked, obviously seeing an ally in Sharpay.

"Two."

"Ehem." Gabriella said loudly and Sharpay seemed to read her mind.

"Cup size?"

"Uh.. DD."

"NEXT!" both women called in unison.

Forty-five minutes later and the casting session was over. They hadn't found a single girl that met their new standards. Well, Gabriella hadn't found a single girl who met her new standards anyway.

Troy stood up angrily, knocking his chair over in the process.

"What's your problem?" Gabriella asked him.

"Twenty perfect models have walked through that door and you rejected all of them!"

'So? We need the best."

"They are the best!"

"Ok let me rephrase. We need the best in size 4 or over."

"Why? That's stupid."

"Every magazine across the nation are using size zero models. We want to be different. And also tell our readers that they're beautiful, even if they aren't as skinny as a toothpick!"

"But you're not gonna find a model bigger than a size two and we need models! We have a shoot coming up!" Troy yelled.

"I'll find someone if it's the last thing I do!" Gabriella yelled right back.

"You know what, you do that. I'll just wait for you to admit defeat and then I can say "I told you so." But right now I'm not gonna waste my time yelling at you so I'm done here!" Troy said stomping out of the room, a storm happening on his face.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What's that feeling inside of you, the one where this thing in the pit of your stomach is on a feeding frenzy and you're the dish of the day? Oh right, it's guilt. Gabriella was engulfed by it. She was overflowing with it, people were gonna start calling her Guilty Gabriella. There's two ways to get rid of guilt. You can either forget you have a conscience or you can fix the thing that made you feel guilty.

Well if I forget my conscience it won't help me when I'm passing the ice cream freezer in the supermarket so I guess I'm stuck with the latter. Gabriella thought. So that means apologizing to Troy. Great.

Ok Gabriella, all you have to do is open that door and say 'I'm sorry' to Troy. It's not that hard, you've apologized before! Gabriella coached herself.

_Yeah but never to a monkey's ass, _a voice piped up.

Here I go. Opening the door. On my way to apologize to Troy. Yup I'm gonna apologize to Troy. And I'm gonna do it right now. All I have to do is open the door and open my mouth.

After 10 minutes of coaching Gabriella finally had the courage to open the door. But she wasn't expecting the sight at the other side.

Troy Bolton making out with Emma. Out of all the models he had to choose the bitchy one. Typical.

**You know the drill! Please review!! **

**Charli & Bunny xx **


	5. Ben and Jerry, our best friend

**Hey, here's another chapter of The Onion and the Articoke! Well duh. But yeah. Hey! Where are the reviewers? Like it seems for every chapter we get less reviews! Please review! We love them. Thank you to the people who always do! **

**Oh yeah and I don't think we mentioned this (but if we did...oh well) but Sara Evans is pretty much Sara Paxton. I saw Lucas and Sara in Halloweentown High Returns or whatever it's called and thought they were cute together so I mentioned it to Charli when we were writing about Ryan's wife so here she is. **

**But anyway, read! And review! **

**Love, Charli and Bunny xx**

_Did you think it would be that easy?_

_Did you think I'd be back for more?_

_Loving you was a big mistake_

_Cause I don't miss you at all_

_Did you think I would wait forever? _

_Baby like the other ones did before _

_Loving you was my mistake_

_Cause I don't miss you no more_

_-Don't Miss You, Amy Pearson_

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Kelsi should invest in ear plugs. **_

"You know I'm so stupid, I actually believed his monkey ass lies. But next time I'll know better. I just wish he would disappear, maybe I can get him deported! No, you have to be from over-seas for that to happen. Maybe I could knock him unconscious, stuff his body on a crate and ship him off to Zimbabwe! No, that's too cruel, even for me. Kelsi what do you think I should do?" Gabriella looked at her PA. Kelsi looked trapped. Troy was her friend, but so was Gabriella. Plus she was her boss.

"Maybe you should be the bigger person. Or just ignore him. That would probably get to him more than shipping him off to Africa." Kelsi suggested, hoping she said the right thing.

"You know what Kelsi? I think you're right. There's only one thing to do when it comes to ego-maniacs like Bolton and that's take away the thing that they think I have. My attention. If I ignore him he'll think I don't care, well he'll know that I don't, and then he won't think he's "speacial" anymore. Yeah he's special alright, special needs. But anyway his ego will be bruised and that will be so awesome! OMG this is gonna be so much fun, I can't wait! Thanks for your help Kelsi. You're such a good friend and PA. You can go now."

Gabriella looked up as she dismissed Kelsi but found she was already shutting the door behind her. Kelsi was glad to get out of there. She had to admit, she was a little scared by Gabriella sometimes.

_**Aparment of Sharpay Evans**_

_**Beauty products are soo not the cause of global warming!**_

The art of becoming beautiful is something like a ritual. Some things a girl is born with, some things she simply has to fake. I know you all know what I'm talking about. For Taylor it was the illusion of sleek, silky hair, Kelsi had to up the anti when it came to kiss-worthy lips, Sharpay owned one wonder bra too many and Sara Evans simply had to scrub and cover the smell of vomit and hospital as best she could. Gabriella Montez on the other hand, well, she had to fake her excitement about the party.

All the girls, meaning Taylor, Sharpay, Kelsi, Sara and Gabriella were getting ready for one of the hottest parties of the year. The launch of the new Chocolate Bunny Cosmetics range.

It would be fun. Would be. But Gabriella didn't know what to do at parties like this. These were the kind of parties where if you got drunk, you ended up in the tabloids or on Perez Hilton. Or the kind of parties where young rich guys snogged half the models before midnight. Either way, Gabriella was going to have to be careful.

"Come here Gabby!" Sharpay exclaimed, seeing the lost and slightly anxious look on her boss' face.

Sharpay pulled Gabriella over to a spot in front of the mirror. She was suddenly big-sisterly, something that was strange to Gabriella.

"Come on Gabby, it's a party. Have some fun. Relax." Sharpay lectured, curling Gabriella's eyelashes and painting her lips a deep, dark red.

Gabriella sighed, her lips still parted as Sharpay added gloss. "Buu ahh khann eiaxz!"

Everyone looked at Gabriella oddly and Sharpay stopped glossing, letting Gabriella close her mouth.

"But I can't relax! I've never been to one of these things before, I'm gonna mess it up!"

"Gabriella you won't. You'll do fine. And if you muck up I'll be right beside you mucking up so it won't be as embarrassing!" Sharpay promised.

"Really?" Gabriella asked hopefully.

"No not really. But I will kick anyone's ass who laughs at you."

"Thanks Shar, you're sucha good friend." Gabriella said sarcastically.

"Hey I could possibly be doing butt-kicking tonight! I'm a GREAT friend!" Gabriella hid a laugh and rolled her eyes.

"Look, we better go," Sara said, looking at her watch.

The others girls did the same, Gabriella felt a sudden nervousness in her stomach.

As they bundled out the door and into a limo that was waiting for them outside, Sharpay grabbed Gabriella by the wrist and continued in a low voice, "Don't worry Gabs, we'll look after you. I promise."

Gabriella smiled and nodded in thanks, pulling away before Sharpay pulled her back again, "Oh and by the way. I know who you are Gabby. I do actually remember you."

Gabriella felt her eyes widen in shock. Sharpay gave a small, coy smile and hopped into limo, Gabriella climbing in after her.

_**Chocolate Bunny Cosmetics Party**_

_**Trust me, there is more going down here than tequila.**_

Strobe lights, free samples, makeovers, dancing, people downing shots and hooking up; this was what Gabriella Montez had let herself in for. She looked around. For a cosmetics party it sure had a lot of simalarities to the night club she went to the other night. Gabriella searched for Kelsi, Taylor, Sharpay and Sara, probably the only girls at the party who wouldn't get drunk and wake up in someone else's bed. Though when she thought about it she couldn't vouch for Sharpay.

Gabriella looked around, Taylor saw the bewildered expression on her face and grabbed her hand, dragging her over to Chad and the guys at the bar. Gabriella's eyes swept over the room again, now that she looked she could cosmetics everywhere, perfumes strung from the ceiling to keep guests smelling fresh, mirrors strategically located for touch ups, and there was more than one chocolate fountain to be seen.

Gabriella tore her eyes from the decorations as someone said her name, Ryan was asking her what she wanted to drink.

"Not a martini." she heard Troy say quietly under his breath.

"I'll have a martini." Gabriella told Ryan ignoring Troy's comment. Troy groaned. It took him eight washes to get the smell of alcohol out of his hair. Ryan handed Gabriella her martini, she took it, making a face at Troy.

Troy grimaced and decided to go to the dance floor and away from Gabriella and her hair staining friend.

Gabriella gave a satisfied giggle and went to dance with the girls. Gabriella could see Zeke looking at Sharpay as though he wanted to ask her something. She hurriedly pulled the other girls away, Sara and Taylor going to dance with their partners, Gabriella nodded at Zeke with a smile.

Zeke adusted his collar, made sure his breath didn't smell and walked over to Sharpay, dreading what her answer would be. Gabriella smiled at him, wishing him luck.

Zeke reached the dancing blonde and tapped her on the shoulder. She whipped around and saw him. She smiled.

"Do you wanna dance?" Zeke asked her.

"Sure." she said grinning at him. They started moving to the beat.

"You look beautiful tonight." Zeke said quietly

"What?" Sharpay asked?

"You look beautiful." he said quietly again. Come on Zeke, you can do this! Zeke told himself.

"You need to speak up Zeke!" Sharpay told him.

"YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL!" It was a bad time to end the song. Everyone around them heard and all the girls "Awww"ed.

Sharpay looked at him for a moment, blushing as people eventaully looked away and started dancing again. Silently, she took his hand.

Gabriella and Kelsi turned to each other, both smiling hugely and laughing at their friends. Suddenly, Gabriella spied Jason coming towards Kelsi with a nervous expression on his face. Gabriella turned suddenly business like and she looked straight at Kelsi.

"Give me your drink!" she hissed at her.

Kelsi looked at her in confusion, before being tapped on the shoulder by Jason and hurriedly forcing her drink into Gabriella's hand. She and Jason made their way to the dance floor together, leaving Gabriella alone and rolling her eyes.

Gabriella sighed, figuring she should probably go do some networking seeing at this was a work party. She took a sip of her drink, then took a sip of Kelsi's for good measure. Turning around, she walked straight into someone she did not want to see.

"Gabby!" the blonde woman exclaimed, smiling with too many teeth.

"Clarissa," Gabriella replied through her own clenched and perfectly numbered teeth.

"So," Clarissa asked, "how's the new job?"

Gabriella smiled the same winning smile as she replied, "It's great actually. Everyone's really nice and it's been awesome."

"So how was your first day sales?" Gabriella asked.

"Obviously not as good as yours.'"Clarissa replied and took a swig of her scotch on the rocks.

"Hmm." Gabriella replied as Clarissa turned away and disappeared into the throng of dancing people.

Gabriella and Clarissa went to the same college and Clarissa had never forgotten how Gabriella had beaten her by graduating top of the class.

"Gabby!" a voice called. Gabriella turned around to meet Troy.

"Troy?"

'You look so sexy tonight!" Troy slurred.

"Troy are you drunk?"

"Gabby you're sooooo sexy!"

"Troy you're drunk."

"And you're sexy."

"Come one, let's get you home." Gabriella said grabbing his arm.

"To my bed? Great idea, will you be joining me?" Gabriella didn't say anything, knowing it would be useless.

Troy was looking up at the strobe lights. "Gabby, I think the lights are winking at me." Troy whispered, probably afraid that the lights would hear him.

"Gabriella I'm gonna get you, you can bet on it." Troy slurred. Gabriella rolled her eyes.

They were nearing the door when Troy said,

"You know Gabby, you look so much hotter than when you were younger. When you were younger you were ugly." Gabriella couldn't take it anymore, tears were already trailing down her cheeks.

Gabriella set off towards the door, rushing past Taylor. Taylor was confused as to why her colleague was crying and why Troy was yelling, "I'm not interested in you!" to the strobe lights.

She grabbed Kelsi, Sharpay and Sara and they all followed Gabriella outside. Their respective boyfriends and husbands left behind shared concerned looks as they saw Gabby, then the girls rush out the door.

Taylor and the girls ran from the club, emerging on the street and looking around for Gabriella. They spotted her climbing onto the roof via the external staircase. They hastily turned to follow her, slipping off stilettos so as not to get them caught and fall. As they emerged on the rooftop they found it deserted, except for Gabriella sitting on a bench with plants in modern, square pots on either side. Her head was in her hands, her body shaking with silent sobs.

"Gabby..?"

Gabriella looked up, her eyes were swollen and her face was blotchy. She tried in vain to wipe away the fallen tears, not fooling anyone, least of all herself.

"Gabby what's wrong?" Sharpay asked.

"What? Why would you think anything was wrong? Can't a woman just burst into tears for no reason?"

"No you can't, it's not healthy." Sara replied.

"What are you, a doctor?" Gabriella shot, not realizing how blonde she sounded.

"Just tell us what's wrong Gabby." Kelsi pleaded, exhaling slowly.

"Well..." she paused for a moment, "you know how I hate Troy so much?"

"Yeah, it's really weird. When you guys were younger you were best of friends!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"Well when we were eleven I found him sitting staring at you, Sharpay. When I asked him what was wrong he said he wanted the pretty girls noticing him and I told him that I noticed him. He basically said that he didn't care and said that I must be the reason you didn't notice him Sharpay. So he told me to go away so Sharpay would notice him and he called me an ugly nerd and we stopped being friends."

The girls were silent until Sharpay spoke up. "What a dick! So that's why you guys stopped being friends, everyone was wondering why."

"I can't believe Troy would do something like-no actually I can." Taylor said.

"Well he missed out on a great catch." Sara informed her.

"Well come one, let's go to my place, watch a chick flick and be loyal Ben and Jerry's customers!"

_**Aparment of Sharpay Evans**_

_**How can you go wrong with ice cream and Shane West?**_

As Taylor, Kelsi and Sara set to work re-arranging Sharpay's furniture and piling up cushions and blankets, Gabriella and Sharpay dug through the freezer, retrieving five pints of ice cream. Apparently these "therapy sessions" were a regular occurence, Sharpay had a list of everyone's favourite flavour taped to her freezer. As Gabriella watched, she added "Cookie-Dough" to the end of the list, across from Gabriella's own name.

Gabriella and Sharapy entered the living room, the other three grils already bundled up on the couch. Sharpay popped _A Walk To Remember_ into the dvd player and they all sat back, the only sound for a couple of minutes was that of ice cream being slurped and the opening credits.

"You know what," Gabriella said at last, "they should make bigger spoons for eating ice cream."

**Troy's in big trouble! LOL Hope this was worth the wait! Please review and tell us what you think. We accept everything except for flames. Flamers need to go get a life and see if they can do any better. **

**Love you all!**

**Charli and Bunny xx**


	6. Shrek, Chad's inspiration for everything

**OK I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! Charli sent me the chapter (because they're on her computer) but I've been so busy with everything I haven't had the chance to sleep properly! But here it is! We hope you like it! And thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for all of the reviews! We loved them! Virtual hugs for all!**

**Love, Charli and Bunny xx**

**Disclaimer: Thanks, we needed that laugh!**

_**It is always the best policy to tell the truth, unless of course you are an exceptionally good liar.**_

_**-Jerome K. **_

_**Modele Magazine Office**_

_**Whoever painted the walls bright orange should've been more considerate of people who want to work there with a hangover.**_

Troy trudged through the corridors towards his department. Who had decided to paint the walls bright orange?

Troy's head hurt like it had been run over a million times by a monster truck and been through the garbage disposal, not to mention he had big purple bags under his eyes and uncannily messy hair. Or to put it shortly, he looked like crap.

He felt like crap as well. He had no idea what happened at that cosmetics party last night but when he saw Sharpay in the lobby earlier she was giving him dirty looks.

He ran his hand over his eyes, trying desperately to look alive. He turned into the next corridor, immediately being confronted by Taylor, glaring at him like he'd just told her that both the caterer and the florist had cancelled for her wedding.

He looked at her in indignant confusion as she passed. He looked over his shoulder, she was storming down the corridor in the opposite direction.

Whatever happened last night, it must have been bad.

It was, that was what he found out minutes later after being dragged by his collar into the company closet by Jason. He found Chad, Zeke and Ryan peering at him out of the darkness as Jason closed the door.

"What?" he asked them all, his face a picture of confusion and disbelief.

"Dude! You sent Gabi home in tears last night!"

Troy winced, "Be quiet!" he hissed at Chad.

"Oh shut up Troy! You hurt her you idiot!"

"So... I can't have been that bad. Gabby would've know I was drunk."

"And you think that makes a difference?" Zeke asked exasperatedly.

"Well, it should" Troy replied.

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Dude, you forget she controls your employment."

Troy looked at him. "Gabby wouldn't fire me." The others looked at him in indignation.

"And why not?" Jason asked, arms folded across his chest.

"Cause... she just wouldn't."

The others rolled their eyes.

"She just wouldn't'?" Chad repeated, "What makes you so sure?"

Troy ran his hand over the back of his neck and continued softly, "Because I know Gabby. I know her differently to you guys."

"What like you know her on a level where she spills drinks on you and thinks your a sleaze?!" Zeke asked, frustrated.

In the short time the guys had known Gabby, they'd become fiercely protective of her, almost like a pack of four crazily and disturbingly controlling older brothers.

"Yeah pretty much." Troy said.

"So how do you know her on that level?" Ryan asked,his voice dripping with sarcastic inquiry.

"Ask your girlfriends, wives and fiances..." Troy replied tiredly.

"Um, we," Zeke said gesturing to himself and Jason, "don't have girlfriends."

"Yet." Chad added. Zeke and Jason blushed.

Troy made his way towards the door, thinking that the guys were done with him.

"And dude, the strobe lights weren't flirting with you!" Chad called after him. Troy gave him a confused look.

The guys left behind in the still dark closet did nothing but stare at the closed door, that was, until they heard the unmistakebale sound of their boss's stilettos on the floor outside.

Gabriella heard a shuffle in the closet she just walked past. She opened the door, hoping she wasn't intruding on anyone doing _anything._

"So, should I be scared that four guys are in a closet together?' Gabriella asked her friends.

They all gave her shifty looks as she pulled the door open wider and gestured for them to come out.

"So, are you guys going to come out of the closet anytime soon?" she asked.

For a moment they looked at her, smiles breaking over thier faces.

All too late Gabriella realised the double meaning in her sentence and left them laughing at her... still from inside the closet.

_**Sunbucks Cafe**_

_**Does she**_**never ****_drink coffee?_**

"Hi I'd like one frappuccino, one short black, one iced chocolate and...Kelsi what do you want?" Sharpay asked her friend.

Kelsi couldn't decide what she wanted. She wasn't a big coffee drinker (well she wasn't one at all), so she didn't know what she know what she'd like.

"Um I'll have a... an espresso." Kelsi said, saying the first drink she saw.

"Do you want a triple shot? It's today's special." the bored waitress asked.

"Um, sure." Kelsi replied shrugging.

The waitress came back a little while later with the drinks and set them on the table. Taylor grabbed her short black, Gabriella took a sip of her iced chocolate, Sharpay took her frappuccino and Kelsi was downing her expresso.

"Whoa Kels, might wanna slow down!" Taylor warned her.

Gabriella, Sharpay and Taylor eyed Kelsi nervously, did she have _any_ clue what she was doing?

As Kelsi turned to look at them with surprised eyes, the girls turned back to their coffees and feigned ignorance.

"So Taylor," Sharpay was asking, "how're the preparations coming along?"

"They're going great. Kelsi is doing a great job planning!" Taylor answered.

"Yeah, great job." Kelsi said, her eyes wider than they usually were.

"So is Zeke coming up with the menu?" Sharpay asked, trying not to be too obvious.

"Yeah he is." Taylor said smugly. Sharpay's plan didn't work.

"Well I guess I need to talk to him about it. Like we don't want lame food at your reception!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"Me, Zeke and Chad are all discussing it." Taylor replied.

"Well I have specific dietary needs so I really think I should talk to him about it?" Sharpay insisted, asking like it was a question.

"Yup Sharpay whatever you say." Taylor said taking a sip of her drink.

Gabriella giggled, the others turned to her, eyebrows raised.

"And what are you laughing at Miss Gabriella?" Taylor questioned suspiciously.

"Oh nothing," Gabriella said, trying not to giggle again, "just trying to come to terms with all love going on at _Modele Magazine._"

"Hmm! You can talk! What about you and Troy?"

Gabriella choked on her iced chocolate at that. "What?! Me and Troy? Did you hear _any_ of what I said last night?" Gabriella asked Sharpay incredulously.

"Haha." Sharpay said sarcastically. Kelsi cracked up.

"What are you laughing at?" Taylor said.

"Sharpay said 'haha'!"Kelsi squealed. The girls looked at her.

"Are you OK Kelsi?" Gabriella asked.

"I'm fine, why would you doubt me otherwise?" Kelsi asked jittery.

"Because you're more jumpy than a wind-up toy." Sharpay said.

"Well I'm fine! And I need is another coffee! Waitress!!" Kelsi shouted.

The same bored waitress walked over. "Yes?"

"I want another triple shot espresso!"

"Ok, I'll be right back." She came back later with Kelsi's drink and handed it to her. Kelsi grabbed the drink and started dancing.

"Girls do you know that Souljah Boy dance thing? I think I know all the steps! Watch!" Kelsi started jumping around, taking sips of the very reason she was so hyper while an audience stared at her.

_**Apartment of Jason Cross**_

_**Knocking balls with sticks and plotting; what could be more fun?**_

Troy took another swig of his beer. Usually playing pool would relax him, right now it just seemed like the perfect way to get even more lost in his thoughts.

"So what exactly did I do last night?" Troy asked eventually.

The other guys just looked at each other, Jason cleared his throat and Chad took to texting Taylor. Well, he wasn't really texting her, but don't tell anyone.

Troy was looking at them all expectantly, "Well?"

Zeke looked to Ryan. Ryan put down his cue and turned to face Troy. "Well, you got drunk, you talked to Gabby, you said some stupid things, she burst into tears and took off."

Troy rolled his eyes, "No, what did I do specifically? Why'd I make her cry?" It was obvious to everyone in the room that Troy was trying to hide the guilt and concern in his voice, that's why it was so hard to answer him.

"I think you said something about her being hotter than she was when she was younger?"

Troy groaned, his hand covering his face as he screwed his eyes shut. "I can't have said that!"

"You did man."

"Grrrr!!"

"Dude, why's it such a big deal?" Jason asked.

Troy looked at him. "I thought I told you to ask your girlfriends/wives/fiances!!"

"Aha!" Zeke said, "and we told you we don't have girlfriends."

Troy groaned again. "No wonder the girls hate me."

"Dude, if you like her so much, ask her out." Ryan suggested.

Troy groaned yet again and said with hands over his face, "I already have." The guys all gasped and Troy looked to them in confusion.

"She said no?!" Zeke exclaimed. Troy just nodded sombrely.

"Why?"

"Becuase..." Troy sighed, "she thinks I'm shallow and vain and only go for model type girls."

"Dude, you do only go for model type girls..."

"Yeah well she doesn't need to know that!"

"Dude I think Gabby wants someone who's more deep, who has layers! Like Shrek!" Chad exclaimed.

"Shrek? Are you out of your mind?' Zeke asked.

"No, Chad's onto something! If I show Gabriella layers then maybe she'll go out with me!" Troy said, hatching an idea.

"But you don't have any layers." Jason stated.

"I'm a good actor, I can pull this off!" Troy exclaimed.

"Why are you going to such lengths for Gabby?" Chad asked.

_Hmmm. Chad has a point._ Troy thought.

"Because...she looks like fun."

Troy didn't know why he wanted to go out with her so badly, part of him wondered if there was something other than what he just told the guys lurking somewhere inside.

**Well that's it! You know the drill! Please review! All are greatly appreciated, except for flames. But who likes flames?**

**Love, Charli and Bunny xx**


	7. Jealous Green Meatloaf

**OK we're both so sorry we haven't been updating more often but for those who have done co-authored stories you know how hard it is finding time where you're both free. And I (Bunny) have just finished my first term of High School so it's been pretty...different. And Charli just performed in a show so that took up most of her time so we're really sorry! We should be updating more since we're gonna be writing more chapters since it's the holidays for us. Finally I get some sleep. But anyway, sorry I'm rambling. Enjoy!**

**Loads of love, Charli and Bunny xx**

_**"Women: Can't live with them, can't bury them in the back yard without the neighbours seeing."**_

_**Sean Williamson.**_

_**Apartment of Troy Bolton**_

_**Where all the best thinking is done.**_

Girls. They're so complicated. How was he meant to win her heart?

_With chocolates and roses and diamonds, s_aid a small voice in the back of his head.

_No,_ he contradicted himself. _Not Gabby. Not just chocolate... I already tried that._

_So what did woman want? Oohhhhh, risky stuff. Try to get into the mind of a woman and you have to try and figure out what she REALLY wants. _

_How about perfume? Nah, she might think that I think she smells. Well she does!...like a rosebush._

_OK, what about jewellery? No, it's like we've been married fifty years..._

_How about...puppies. Everyone loves puppies. No wait, Gabby's allergic to dogs._

_OK, how about...! Yes, that's it!_

Tory punched his fist in the air and jumped up, looking at his watch and realising he was already late for work.

_**Taylor McKessie's Office**_

_**When you're stressed it's very easy to mistake your floor for the rubbish bin**_

The gang, minus Troy, Gabriella and Sara, were all crowded in Taylor's office talking. Taylor had a chicken panini in her hand, Zeke was handing out chocolate chip cookies, Kelsi was sucking on a lollipop and Ryan was swigging on a coke. They were all standing around lazily, banishing any intern who dared vernture in with "Leave now or be smothered in chocolate sauce!"

"So I was thinking that all the bridesmaids have pale pink dresses, you wanted soft, pale colours didn't you Taylor?" Sharpay asked.

Taylor's head popped up from behind her desk, where she was currently cleaning. "Yeah, yeah sure!"

Sharpay rolled her eyes at her friend and jotted something down on her notepad. Kelsi shared a look with Sharpay before venturing to say, "Um, so what about flowers? Pink and white? Lilies or roses?" Kelsi looked at Sharpay again, the two of them with looks that said they clearly didn't expect a decent answer.

They were right, they didn't get one.

"Um yeah! Sounds great! I'll call them to confirm later!" Taylor answered waving her hand about as she tried shuffle some papers into what could be mistaken for a pile.

Kelsi sighed and rolled her eyes, Sharpay stifled a giggle as Kelsi added flowers to her "to do" list. "What about seating? You guys need to do that?" Kelsi asked.

"Uhm I'm a little busy, ask Chad!" Taylor's muffled voice said. Chad groaned.

"Can we place them alphabetically?" Chad ventured. This time Sharpay and Kelsi groaned.

Chad guessed he did something wrong. "By hair colour? Like all the blondes at one table, redheads at another...No?" Kelsi and Sharpay shook their heads.

"Groups of people we don't like the most? Like with Taylor's mum far, far away?"

"Hey!" Taylor yelled from under her desk.

"Hun she tried to give me food poisoning!"

"She didn't know that that meatloaf was bad."

"It was GREEN."

"Yeah well," Taylor replied, kissing her fiancé on the cheek, "you know green is the colour of envy, so she's just jealous you're stealing her baby." Taylor looked at him softly, knowing he wouldn't protest any more.

"OK," Kelsi said, looking away, putting down her notebook as Sharpay smirked. "I guess we'll talk about flowers later?"

Taylor looked up, suddenly looking at her friend and pushing Chad's hands away from her waist as he tried to tickle her. "Flowers? No, we need to sort those out. I'm surprised we haven't talked about them before. I was thinking pink and white... what do you guys reckon?"

"So anyway, I'm worried about Gabby." Zeke spoke up before Taylor and Chad could infuriate Sharpay and Kelsi anymore. And so the latter couldn't throttle the former with their bare hands.

"Why?" Sharpay asked. Luckily, Zeke's method of distraction worked and all eyes were on him.

"Well Troy seems dead set on getting a date with her and as much as we love Troy, we know what he's like and what he'll do." Zeke replied.

"That's true." Jason agreed.

"So what do we do?" Kelsi asked.

"I think we need to warn Gabriella." Ryan said.

"I think she already knows." Sharpay snorted.

"Ok seriously, what happened between them??" Chad burst out.

"Yeah, Troy won't tell us!" Jason complained, whining like a baby as Kelsi looked at him with soft eyes, not that he notcied of course.

Sharpay sighed, explaining to the guys what happened with all the girls adding stuff.

"When they were younger Troy and Gabby were best friends but Troy was as superficial"

"-as he is now" Kelsi said, butting in.

"And, I don't know, he wanted the 'pretty' people to notice him, you know the _right _people. Anyways, Gabby had a crush on him and told him she noticed him but he apparently didn't care. Then he pretty much told her to go away and"

"-called her an ugly nerd." Taylor interjected bitterly. Now that the story had come to an end, all the guys were staring with crease in their foreheads, obviously thinking.

"Strangely that doesn't surprise me!" Chad exclaimed suddenly.

"Yeah sounds like the Troy we all know and love." Jason said now that Chad had broke the spell.

"But seriosuly guys, we need to make sure she doesn't get hurt. We know Troy will stop at nothing and eventually will get a 'date' with her!" Zeke said.

"I dunno, she seems to hate him _a lot_!" Sharpay said.

"Yeah but if she liked him once she might like him again." Kelsi pointed out.

"Yeah, so what do we do?" Chad asked.

"Convert Troy to homosexuality?" Jason suggested.

"Make Gabby really unattractive to Troy doesn't want to bang her?"

"Start a rumour that she's a grunter?"

"Find Troy someone else?"

"Make sure they don't see each other as much?"

"Start a rumour that she's a grunter?" Everyone laughed at that.

_**The office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Where if you don't come bearing cookies, you don't come at all.**_

Gabriella sighed as she flicked an email to Mr. Evans, her boss. Sighing she looked through the frosted window on the door to Taylor's office. She saw all the gang in there, well, minus Troy. She sighed as she turned back to her computer, knowing she had too much work to join them.

She turned back to her screen, her eyes weary. Suddenly she was interrupted b a knock at the door, calling "Come in" without taking her eyes from the screen. She groaned inwardly as she was confronted by, you guessed it, Troy.

"What do you want?" she asked him, not bothering to keep the dislike from her voice. He was had a large square box tucked under his arm, and he threw a cellophane wrapped pile of cookies onto her desk. She almost smiled and tore the paket to shreds, but stopped herself just in time.

"I just thought I'd come to say hi. You know, have a little chat with my boss." he said cockily, a smile on his face and miscief in his eyes.

"Yeah well I'm busy. Go away." she was being harsh, blunt and mean, but she really didn't care. It worked for Lizzie in _Pride and Prejudice. _Mr. Darcy left her alone.. kind of. At one point.

"Yeah, but I've got something for you..." Troy replied, ignoring her comments. He set the box down on a table and Gabriella looked at him suspiciously as he untied a balck satin bow and carefully removed the lid, revealing what looked very much like an evening gown.

"What's that?" Gabriella asked, though she wasn't really interested.

"Gee Gabs, you're meant to be smart!" Troy joked.

"It's Gabriella to you and don't you mean nerdy?" Gabriella spat.

"I want you to wear it on our date." Troy said.

"You'd be delusional if you thought we were going on a date."

"Come on you know you want to, plus I bought you a dress! Something _thoughtful_." Troy added, dragging out the thoughtful.

"I don't care, I'm not going on a date with you!"

"Look, it doesn't have to be dinner! It can be wherever you want, whenever."

"Ok let's have it now. Ok, date over!"

"You know I always kiss my dates goodbye."

"Tradition's changed."

"Come on Gabs-iella!" Troy caught himself. "Just one night, who would it hurt?"

"Me. It hurts being around you."

"Or maybe it hurts because you want me so badly and you can't jump me in a public place."

"Or maybe it hurts because being around you cause it makes me wanna puke."

"Are you chicken? Because if you weren't you'd be going on a date with me."

"I'm not chicken, I just have common sense."

"Is it because of what I did to you in sixth grade? Look I'm not shallow anymore! I've changed. And I'd like to prove that to you!"

"You've changed? Yeah and I'm the Queen on Sheeba!"

"Well your highness when can I prove to you that I've changed? Look, I'm proving it right now! See dress, thoughtful! If I was shallow I wouldn't have spent my time and money on a dress!"

"Look Troy I'm a girl, you can't buy me! And maybe you bought it to woo me and get into my pants!"

"Technically you're wearing a skirt."

Gabriella pointed towards the door. "Get out!" she yelled.

"Ok but I'm gonna put the dress right here." he put it on a chair opposite her desk. "It's calling to you Gabriella. It's screaming 'Wear me! Put me on!'"

"Then I'll give it to Sharpay, or Sara or someone who will appreciate it."

"Sure, sure Gabs." Then Troy quickly left before Gabriella could yell at him some more. Gabriella stood up and walked over to te chair with the dress on it. She held it up by it's straps and examined it. Crap, why did Troy have to get her such a great dress?!

**So now I'm going to use my telepathic powers to get you to review and tell us what you think! Constructive critism is always welcomed, we can't get better if you don't tell us! **

**Love you all and thanks for taking the time to read our story!**

**Charli and Bunny xoxoxox**

**p.s Who's heard Vanessa's new single _Sneakernight_? We admit that it's only all right when you first hear it but trust me, it does grow on you! **


	8. Layer 2

**Ok, ok, ok I know I suck! It's all my fault, Charli sent me the chapter I've just been so busy lately! I'm so sorry! Feel free to yell or whatever, but hopefully you won't be too angry. **

**And to a review that was posted about a month ago, we don't think Americans are stupid! We just don't know what it's like over there and there are different words and such (like in Australia they say doona while we say duvet, things like that ). But we certainly don't think any country is stupid and we're very sorry if we offended anyone with anything. Just to clear that up! **

**News About Us**

**Um just to let you know some stuff that's going on with us! It's Charli's birthday in 10 days so wish her Happy Birthday for the 12th! And she just had a maths exam so let's all hope she passed! And she's going away for a month but hopefully she'll send me chapter 9 so we can update! And I'm getting baptised! :D but yeah that's really exciting for me. And I apologize once again for the lack of updates, I got a job so that's been keeping me busy and off of the computer. Well off of it enough not to have enough time to update. But just letting you know what's going on. Sorry for this long AN! **

**Love you guys!**

**Charli and Bunny xx**

**Disclaimer: Hah. Don't make us laugh. **

_**It don't take a word, not a single word, **_

_**Go on and kiss the girl.**_

_**Shalalalala, Ain't that sad, **_

_**It's such a shame, Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl, **_

_**Go on and kiss the gir!**_

_**-Ashley Tisdale**_

_**The Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**But it's couture!**_

"OK, so the April layout will be using the new templates correct?" Taylor asked Gabriella as they sat side by side at the circular table in Gabriella's office, past issues and papers surrounding them.

"Yeah, are we all set up to print like that from now on?"

"Yip. Oh! Did you find your new models?"

"I did. I auditioned a whole bunch with Shar, Ryan, Chad and Troy. Needless to say Mr. "Look at My Smile" wasn't too impressed."

"Yeah, well," Taylor mused, "What can I say? Troy's just like that. And besides, you know he HATES change."

"Yeah well he's going to have get used to it cause a lot of things are going to be changing around here."

"Really like what?" Taylor asked.

"Like the new layouts, new models, more articles in the magazine, not just photos. Like I know this is a fashion magazine but it wouldn't hurt to have written pieces!"

"Finally someone agrees with me!" Taylor squealed excitedly.

Gabriella just laughed as two startled women entered her office without knocking, something that usually meant anger from Miss Montez.

"Ok, where is he? Where is that pretty boy Bolton? I swear Gabi if he's hurt you I'll kill 'im. I'll rip 'im apart and shove him down a toilet!" Sharpay told the room viciously, her hands wringing nad wrenching as she spoke.

"Where is he?" Sharpay asked in a calmer voice.

"Where's who?" Taylor asked.

"Troy. I heard screaming in here." Sharpay asked, looking behind the curtains.

"That was us, we're excited about next month's edition." Gabriella explained.

"Oh...right." Sharpay said embarrasssedly.

Kelsi giggled on Sharpay's left and the blonde nudged her in the ribs.

"So!" Sharpay continued brightly, trying to change the topic, "What's this?" she asked, picking up the white, square box that held the dress Troy had tried to give Gabriella.

Gabriella blushed, "Your-your congratulations on being a senior staff memebr dress?" she recovered as though it was a question.

"Well then shouldn't we all get one?" Sharpay asked like a naive five year old.

Gbariella froze before exclaiming, "Yes! Yes! Dresses for everyone!"

"Good!" Sharpay replied, "Then this can be your one." Sharpay handed Gabirella the box, the latter took it regretfully, they obviously all expected her to open it and show them.

"Uhm me and Taylor are kinda busy so I'll show it to you later!" Gabriella said.

"No we're not. And we need a break anyway! Show us the dress!' Taylor encouraged.

"Oh my gosh is that a unicorn!" Gabriella yelled pointing to the window.

"Gabriella just show us the bloody dress...unless you have a reason not to?" Sharpay asked while Taylor and Kelsi eyed the box. Gabriella sighed and opened it. She pulled out the dress to show the three girls. They all gasped.

'It's beautiful!' Kelsi gaped.

'Can I have it? It can be my wedding present!' Taylor exclaimed.

'Man why did I give it to you? I should've kept it!' Sharpay said.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "The offer's still open... I don't want it."

But Kelsi had taken the dress from Gabriella and was inspecting it. "Girl, this is vintage Chanel couture! It must have cost a bomb. Where'd you get it?" Gabriella's eyes widened. She hadn't thought to check the label.

Vintage Chanel? Gabriella knew a lot about fashion, enough to know that those two words definitely equalled another two words, _very pricey._

"Uhm it was a gift."

"This isn't just a _gift!_ This is like...a GIFT! And you didn't buy it yourself, they didn't have it in the wardrobe...so who bought it for you?" All the girls stared at Gabriella, hoping to break her down.

"Troy." she squeaked.

"What?!"

"When?"

"Why?"

"Uhm Troy gave me this dress yesterday. He was hoping I'd wear it on a date and he also wanted to prove that he was "thoughtful.""

"So are you going on the date?" Kelsi asked.

"No, why would I?"

"Gabriella! This is _VINTAGE CHANEL!_ You have to go on that date! I would for this dress! Heck if he gave me this dress I would give my soul to him!" Sharpay squealed.

'What happened to Zeke?' Taylor asked.

'I don't like Zeke!' Sharpay snapped. "And even if I did he can't live up to this gorgeous dress!" Kelsi rolled her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me! You know you would ditch Jason for this dress!" Sharpay exclaimed. Kelsi's cheeks went red and she glared at Sharpay.

"So I guess you want it Shar?" Gabriella asked.

"Ok I cannot believe I'm saying this but you're keeping it." Sharpay said.

"What? Why? I don't want it."

"It was a GIFT. To YOU." Sharpay said in a slow voice.

"Ok and I am giving it to YOU. As a GIFT." Gabriella said mimicking Sharpay.

"Shar's right, you gotta keep this dress sweetie." Taylor jumped in.

"Fine but it's going in the back of my closet. The very back."

"Next to my socks and the sweater aunt Maude knitted me when I was twelve," she added under her breath.

_**Zeke Baylor's Mini-Kitchen**_

_**Troy Bolton should never plan**_

Troy Bolton's planning is more disastorous than Zeke's first attempt at creme brulee. There are some things people shoud never do. Jason should never become a scientist. Zeke should never pick out gifts. Chad should never wear a mini-skirt and strappy heels (_big _disaster) and Troy should never plan stuff. When he was asked to help plan his 4 year old cousin's birthday party the poor little girl got a bunch of cowboys at her Little Mermaid themed party. Planning to show Gabriella he was "layered" and to get into her pants was no different.

"So guys, you know her. What does she like in a guy?" Troy asked his friends.

"A sweet guy." Chad supplied.

"Someone who listens to her." Jason added.

"1 cup of flour." Zeke mumbled.

"What?" Troy asked.

"What? Oh, were you talking to me?" Zeke asked adding the cup of flour into his mixing bowl.

Troy just buried his head in his hands, "Guys, I'm serious!"

"And so am I! Usually muffins need at least 1 and a half cups of flour but with my recipe I can reduce the fat and sugar and everything else and still have it taste great!" Zeke exclaimed excitedly.

"As long as it tastes good, I don't care." Chad said.

"Who says I'm gonna let you try these?" Zeke asked smugly. Chad looked at him like he was gonna cut off his air supply.

"Guys can we get back on the topic? We're talking about how I can get into Gabriella's bed." Troy exclaimed.

"Who said we were gonna help you? We like her, we don't want her to get hurt!" Jason pointed out.

"I'm not gonna hurt her, in fact it'll be the opposite." Troy said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Troy she's not interested in you and never will be. Give it a rest!" Chad said.

"Whose side are you on? I've known and been your best friend for 7 years! You've only known her for a couple of days! I though you guys were my friends." Troy exclaimed laying on the guilt.

Ryan, Jason, Zeke and Chad looked around nervously. They knew that they shouldn't be helping Troy get to Gabby, but they knew they couldn't leave Troy in the lurch, lest he hurt her more. Besides, they'd never seen Troy chase a girl like this before, perhaps there was change in the coming winds?

"Well she keeps on calling you superficial. Prove to her that you're not, or at least pretend not to be." Zeke supplied, giving in.

"So like if I kiss a fugly girl, she'll know I'm not? Thanks guys!" Troy ran off before the guys could protest. This was not gonna work out well.

_**The Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Lunch is supposed to be eaten after three pm... right?**_

Gabriella was sitting at her desk, running her eye over an article submitted by one of the make up artists. You know, when she said she wanted more articles in the magazine, she didn't exactly mean two thousand words on the importance of growing nail beds.

Turning away from the document, she hastily wrote the offending authoress a politly worded email explaining that perhaps this wasn't quite what she was after and that perhas next time she might try an article on the importance of buying eco-friendly prodcuts or the state of the economy in the Congo.

Gabriella's phone rang. She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gabriella?"

"What do you want Troy?" Gabriella asked with venom in her voice.

"I need you to come to my office!"

"Why?" She asked cautiously.

"Because...I have a new model I want you to check out! She's size _6_." Troy said emphasizing on the 6.

Gabriella sighed. They did need new models. "I'll be there in 5."

"Awesome." Troy said, his smile too big for his face.

Gabriella saved and closed the article and headed towards Troy's office after telling Kelsi where she was going.

"If I'm not back in 20 minutes, call security." She said dramtically to her assisstant.

She entered Troy's office to find Troy pressing a girl against the wall practically sucking her face off.

"Am I interrupting something?" Gabriella asked breaking the two up. When she saw who he was kissing she was surprised. Agnes was certainly not the girl Troy would usually be with. She was an accountant. She had black frizzy hair, a big mole on her cheeks, pale skin and wore thick glasses. Agnes was a lovely person, sweet, caring and understanding; though she was the opposite of what Troy went for.

"Oh Gabriella. What a surprise!" Troy feigned surprise.

"You called me here. Agnes what are you doing here?" Gabriella asked.

"Oh I called her up here. She has a great personality. She definitely isn't the best looking but I like her anyway." Troy answered for her. Gabriella shook her head. Poor girl, she was caught in Troy's pathetic attempt to get into her pants.

"Are you calling me the ugliest girl ever?" Agnes asked hurtfully.

"Yeah, don't you get that a lot?!" Troy asked cheekily, forgetting what he was trying to prove. Agnes slapped him and stormed out of the office.

"Can I go now?" Gabriella asked boredly.

"I kissed her and she _slaps _me? What kind of girl is she?" Troy asked shocked.

"A girl who isn't caught up in your good looks, a girl who wants a man who won't use her to get into a another girl's bed."

"Who said I was using her to get into your bed? Gee Gabs, you're so up yourself and self centered, my whole world doesn't revolve around you!" Troy said riling Gabriella up.

"Don't play dumb, I know your game. You can't win girls hearts by kissing _OTHER_ girls!"

"And you, Little Missy, won't be able to go on top if you keep yelling at me!"

Gabriella thought she was gonna explode with anger. Before she did anything stupid she stormed out from room just like Agnes had done earlier, only angrier. Much angrier.

"Back to the drawing board..." Troy mumbled.

xxxx

Sharpay turned around as she heard the sound of brand new Manolo pumps on the polished wooden floor outside her office, she saw flash of chocolate brown hair and a vintage leather jacket storm past her door.

"Gabby!"

Gabriella didn't turn around, Sharpay huffed and looked to where the brunette had obviously just stormed from.

Three guesses which office she found herself staring at.

The beauty department was down in the depths of the Modele building, along with the studios, closet and editing room. Troy Bolton's office was at the end of the corridor, his colleagues on all sides knew that if someone took off down the corridor in a huff, Troy would almost always be the one to blame.

Sharpay took a deep breath and huffed right up to him, barging through the door and slamming her hand down on his desk. He looked up, there was nothing in his hands, but they seemed to have been the object of much contemplation a few seconds ago.

"Alright Bolton, cards on the table!"

Troy looked at her , bewildered. In fact the look on his face startled Sharpay a bit, though she would rather wear last season's Vera Wang that let him know that.

"STOP ATTACKING GABRIELLA!" she yelled at him indignantly.

He just looked at her, "I'm not! I didn't! I- uh.. I-" Sharpay just glared at him, rendering him speechless.

"Look Bolton, you're not as indespensible as you think you are, in fact, I bet most women would agree that they wouldn't mind much if you just disappeared! Gabriella Montez, included."

Troy looked ather for a moment, before dropping his eyes back to his hands. He heard Sharpay huff in approval before she left his office.

Geez Bolton, what is wrong with you? He thought to himself dejectedly.

**So...what'd you think? Alright? Good? Great? Worse than a rat's bum? Tell us in a review! We're open to all constructive critism, we can't improve without it! **

**Signing off, **

**Geekydee and Geekydum xx **


	9. Foot in mouth disease

**HEY GUYS! Hope you're all doing well, summer in the states right? You guys are soo lucky! I'm (Charlie) about to go spend a month freezing my butt off in the bush. I know, I can see you jumping up and down wishing it was you. LOL**

**So anyways, here's Chapter 9, we got a review saying the story was getting a little repetitive but hopefully this was one isn't too similar, but do that we needed it to be a little repetitive so you guys as readers could start to feel a little of the annoyance Gabriella is feeling. Tehe. But anyways, you're probably now wishing Bunny had done the AN so you wouldn't have had to put up with my rambling but too bad! Suck it up! lol, soz, I'm done now;)**

**Btw, Bunny hasn't been very well lately! I won't go in to detail but wish her well!! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer:**** Oh yeah, my mum owns Disney and my dad flips burgers. **

_**"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."**_

_**...Mark Twain**_

_**Apartment of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Why is the coffee always gone?**_

Gabriella sighed, it was Tuesday. Yes, Tuesday. As in just after Monday. As in the day after Troy's mini make-out session with Agnes. It was strange how things had turned out, back when they were younger, you couldn't have paid Tory to even peck Gabriella on the cheek, now his main goal in life was to seduce her. As she threaded her earrings through her ear lobes and stained her lips a bright red, she couldn't help but wonder why Troy was going after her with such, well, enthusiasm. He was such a dick. Calling him a monkey's ass was being nice. Gabriella swiped her eyelashes with mascara before looking at her reflection. She smiled, grabbing her keys and Jimmy Choo handbag. If she left now, she'd be able to avoid seeing Troy in the elevator. Well, at least that's what she was praying for.

As she got out of the cab she cast her eyes upward. It wasn't a huge building, well, not for New York anyway. Twenty four floors, Modele Magazine occupied eight of them. And the studios, way down below. She felt her eyes flicker over his window, then realized what she was doing and directed her gaze forward. When she reached the top floor, Kelsi was waiting for her.

"OK, Gabi, you've got a meeting with senior staff in half an hour, then you're going over the pieces for the next month's photo shoot with Ryan and Shar, then you're got a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Evans after lunch." Kelsi handed Gabriella a timetable as the manager sipped her take-away coffee.

"Good, I don't want to be long with the seniors, and I want you to come to the meeting, also, I need you to call Marina from Ford and tell her we'll need new portfolios for all models who fit our new requirements.

"We'll need to schedule a meeting with Taylor, Chad, our advertising team and Sharpay and, Troy," she paused, "to discuss the new anti-skinny campaign. I want it running in every issue from May."

"Uh huh." Kelsi said jotting that down on her clipboard.

Gabriella closed the door of her office heavily and leaned against it for a second, catching her breath. Exhaling slowly she walked over to her computer. One hundred and eight emails, she'd have to get busy.

_**Shanel Winter Fashion Show 2008**_

_**Where all the best 2008 Shanel Winter Fashions are shown...duh!**_

To some, fashion shows are magical. All the new trends, the things the designers could came up with, how great the models look...

To some, fashion shows are boring. Who cares what some anorexic tall girls wear? I could make that in my sleep.

And to some, fashion shows are nerve wracking. Gabriella fell under the third catorgory. She had to look her best or die. Well not die but her life wouldn't be worth living if she turned up in yesterday's trends. Sure she usually didn't give into that stuff, it's just that the cold glares of the designers and models could make you jump off of a cliff.

So Gabriella spent two hours in front of her bedroom mirror perfecting her image, making sure her mascara wasn't smudged or that her lipstick was blotchy or that not a single hair was out of place. Neat freak Victoria would be would be perfect for moments like these.

Gabriella checked the contents of her bag once more before quickly leaving her apartment.

She arrived in downtown Manhattan half an hour later, paying the cab driver before elegantly stepping one stiletto-ed foot from the car. She looked around, there were fashion photographers in clean crisp shirts mingling with the frantic and jostling paparazzi. Gabriella spied some of Hollywood's favourite stylists, designers and even performers trying to enter the studio (more like a palace) where the show would be held. She even spotted a few of her favourite Broadway performers in the crowd, she wondered if there'd be any time for autographs, somehow she thought not. She felt herself place one foot in front of the other and after another couple of steps she found she could actually relate what her feet were doing with some kind of recognition in her brain. This made her feel better. Hey, at least she remembered how to walk! Not like back in third grade...

Focus Gabriella! She mentally scolded herself and shook her head. Strongly enough so as to stop any pointless reverie, not hard enough to ruin her perfectly straightened and pinned hair. She took a deep breath, spotting a flash of blonde hair on the other side of the throng, somewhere near the entrance to the "studio".

She couldn't be sure it was Sharpay, but she had to get off the pavement anyway, so she took off in pursuit of the blonde.

She didn't get very far. Well, she didn't get far at all. Little did she know that becoming the Manager of Modele had thrust her into the harsh spotlight of the fashion frenzied media.

"Ms. Montez what are you wearing?"

"Gabriella! Can you look over here?"

"What can we look forward to in the next issue?"

Gabriella quickly posed for the photographers, and replied, "You'll just have to wait and see." giving a 'I know something that you don't know' smile and rushed inside in pursuit of the blonde.

She could already feel the pinch only a Jimmy Choo could bring biting into her flesh. she plastered another smile on her face as she finally caught up to the blonde. Tapping her on the shoulder, she was relieved when Sharpay turned round, a smile on her face and clad in D&G jeans, a Marc Jacobs top and a pink escada shrug. Gabriella nodded at her in approval and she laughed.

"Wow Gabs you look hot!" Sharpay complimented.

"Haha thanks you look gorgeous as always."

"Well let's find a seat and hopefully the others will show up soon. Taylor called and said she might be a little late and I'm pretty sure Chad was over. I don't even want to think about what caused them to be late."

"Chad might've wanted to make sure she was wearing the right flavour of lipstick." Gabriella suggested.

"Or hated her outfit so much that he had to rip it off of her." Sharpay threw in.

"Or maybe he was really hungry and the taste of her body lotion was starting to seem really good..." a voice behind them said. A familiar voice. Opposite feelings were produced by this voice.

"Troy! You made it!" Sharpay said and gave him a hug. Which left...

"Oh goody. You're here." Gabriella said sarcastically.

"Lovely to see you as well Montez." Troy replied but only then did he actually look at Gabriella.

_How the heck does anyone look THAT good?_ Troy thought. She was hot. No she was more than hot, she was what the freaking world revolved around! How had he ever thought she was ugly? Gabriella Montez was a goddess.

"What?" Gabriella asked, trying to check her appearance. Troy was staring at her like a hungry shark.

"Troy close your mouth before you swallow a fly or something!" Sharpay exclaimed and Troy quickly closed his mouth.

He was staring again. Oh well, Gabriella thought, soon he'd have some new eye candy, and she wasn't talking about the clothes on the runway. She turned on her heel, taking Sharpay by the wrist and marching them to their seats. Front row, it felt good. It meant you'd arrived. It meant you were someone. Although, this was admittedly not something Gabriella strived for. It just felt good to have some form of recognition for her work.

Gabriella took a seat with Sharpay next to her. Troy quickly grabbed the seat on Gabriella's other side. Confused, Gabriella was gonna say something but decided not to, she didn't want to ruin her night with petty arguments. She could, however, ruin tomorrow night by questioning him about it. She sat back in her seat. She was here as the new manager of Modele Magazine. She was here to show the fashion world that Modele was _the_ Fashion Magazine. She was here, to knock Promise out of the water.

The catwalk was dark, and definitely untraditional. It wasn't just some long stretch of floor, it was lit from all angles and formed more of a box with multiple exits and entrances.

It was awesome. Gabriella had been to her fair share of Fashion Shows but each one got more exciting. She didn't know what it was about anorexic humans walking down a catwalk with bored faces wearing new clothes and outrageous make up but it sure was something.

Throughout the show she couldn't help but feel that she was being watched, though she couldn't work out who was doing the watching. She shook the feeling off and turned her attention back to the show, but it didn't go away.

When the models came back onto the runway one last time, a very prim and plastic looking designer trailing behind them, Gabriella clapped as politely as anyone else in the room, but that didn't change the fact that her feet were aching like they'd been trodden on by a thousand Spanish bulls, despite the fact she'd been sitting down all evening. She followed Taylor and Sharpay backstage. She was glad they were there to take her, she wouldn't have had a clue what to do otherwise. The after-party was just gearing up, she could see now why everyone said models lived off champagne and cigarettes, because it was true. She sighed as she took a glass from a passing waiter, thankful that she didn't have to parade in front of thousands to earn her pay. She used her brain instead.

Gabriella looked around. Jason and Kelsi were flirting, Sharpay and Taylor were checking out male models, but feeling guilty about the men in their lives, Chad, Ryan and Zeke were doing the same on the other side of the room, only with females. Wait, there's someone missing. And yes she did remember to count herself. Jason, Kelsi...Taylor,Sharpay...Chad, Ryan, Zeke and...

"Hey." Gabriella spun around to meet with a nervous looking Troy.

"...hi?" Gabriella replied, unsure of where this was going. If he was gonna hit on her again she was gonna scream and whip out her pepper spray.

"So, you enjoying tonight?"

"Yeah it's pretty cool."

"So...um...I-I love your dress. It matches your eyes..." Troy stuttered uncertainly. Sure, he could make a living out of complimenting girls but to actually mean it? That was a different story.

"It's red."

"Oh true that. Well it looks much better than it would have 14 years ago!"

Gabriella's mouth dropped open. "I don't know whether to feel insulted or complimented!"

"It's a compliment! I'm trying to say that you would fit right up there with those models!"

"Are you saying that I'm tall and anorexic?" Troy looked down at Gabriella.

"Well definitely not tall and you're so not anorexic, you have nice, round butt. A big apple butt."

"So now I have a huge ass?!"

"No no no no no! What I'm trying to say is-"

"I'm leaving." Gabriella said turning on her heel before she stabbed it through Troy's back.

"-that you look beautiful."

To quote Jojo, it was just "Too little, too late".

**So we hope you guys liked it!! **

**Don't forget to have fun in this summer if you're in the northern hemisphere! We hope you're all gonna be on Zanessa watch! **

**R&R guys!**

**Love Bunny & Charlie in all our geeky glory. **


	10. Cookies, Couples and Choosing Commitment

**Hey guys, sorry it's been a while since we updated but we promise this chapter is worth it!! Hope you're all enjoying it. We're on school holidays atm so we'll get as much of this done for you as we can!! Hope you're all having fun.. counting down to HSM3! It doesn't come out here till December so I for one(Charli) can't be bothered depressing myself by starting to count down just yet. **

**Also, make sure you wish Bunny a happy birthday! She turns 14 in 13 days!!**

**Also a little of shameless advertising, for anyone who read my(Charli) story, Whether We Like It or Not, the sequel is up and you can find it on my profile. It's called We Might Just Make It! It's been cool and drama packed so even if you haven't read its predecessor it's worth a look! LOL**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter, it's a little racy so beware... ;)**

**Lots of Love from your two favourite and resident kiwi geeks, Bunny and Charlie x**

* * *

_It's getting hard to be around you, _

_there's so much i can't say._

_Do you want to me_

_to try hide the feelings and look the other way?_

_And i don't know,_

_how to be fine when I'm not. _

_Cause I don't know,_

_how to make a feeling stop. _

_Just so you know_

_ this feeling's taking control... _

_-Jesse McCartney_

_**Modele Magazine Hallway**_

_**Kelsi wished she had no ears**_

"Faster!! Faster!" Kelsi heard Sharpay purr. Kelsi pressed her ear closer to the door.

"I think this needs to be hotter." She heard Zeke whisper.

"Oh you bad boy!" Sharpay exclaimed. Kelsi then heard a thump against the wall...like something being thrust against it. Good gosh Gabriella didn't pay her enough. This really needed to stop before they got fired. Kelsi pushed through the door, eyes squeezed tight and-

"OK this has to stop!" Kelsi demanded but when she heard no response she peeped open her eyes. Sharpay and Zeke were staring at her, fully dressed. Sharpay was licking a mixing spoon and Zeke stood by the oven.

"Are we not allowed to bake?" Sharpay asked.

"Wow cause that would SUCK." Zeke said.

"I thought you guys were getting it on or something." Kelsi said, clearly confused, if not a little bashful.

"Oh yeah we were totally getting it on." Zeke said straight away.

"Yeah we can just get changed really fast." Sharpay added.

Kelsi rolled her eyes and looked at them like they were still two year olds. She sighed, giving them a look as she turned her back and left them to it. Well, no, not to that, but she could hear them giggling all the way down the hall. Still, she thought to herself, looks like Zeke was finally getting somewhere. He'd been in the room with Sharpay for what Kelsi was guessing was more than twenty minutes and his tongue hadn't swollen up, he wasn't stuttering and he wasn't sweating like a pig about to be slaughtered, all in all, that could only be counted as a good thing.

Kelsi made her way back through the corridors, she'd had to deliver somehing to the guy with the office next door to Zeke's. She laughed to herself, what must _he_ have been thinking?!

Now she had to go see the Artistic Director, aka, Jason Cross. This was one meeting she wasn't so sure about. Sure, she was excited, but like nervous excited, you know?

As she approached the wide, open, humongous square room full of screens and tables and props that was the art department, she looked around. Someone was laughing, and boy did she know that laugh. He turned around as she approached, almost as if he could sense her near. And actually, he kinda could.

"Kelsi, hi!" he said, smiling at her happily. And he really did look happy too, Kelsi noted this with pride.

"Hi," Kelsi replied, shifting the lookbook that was in her arms. It was basically a book of conceptual sketches for the upcoming shoot. It was a joint project between Sharpay, Ryan, Troy, Chad and of course, Jason himself. It fluttered between the five of them, occasionally landing on the desks of Gabriella and Taylor, who would of course critique it and send it back.

Kelsi held it out to Jason, but surprisingly he didn't take it. Instead, he sat down on the table that basically formed his office, behind two large silk screens in the corner of the room and smiled at her again. She smiled back nervously.

"Hey, Kelsi," his voice was questioning, she was immediately interested in what he was about to say. "how do you take your coffee? Cause, you know the coffee round here is shocking, but I was just wondering... do you uh, do you like it?"

Kelsi giggled. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to find excuses to talk to her. It was cute. She fought the urge to kiss him full smack on the lips in front of everybody, she just cast her eyes to the floor in embarrassment instead.

"Well," she replied, "I actually don't drink a lot of coffee, actually, I don't drink any. Bad memories... we don't really mesh well together."

He smiled, and Kelsi smiled back. She held the book out to him again, this time he took it.

"So, I guess I'll see you later?" she asked, her hand on the frame of the silk screen as she looked back at him over her shoulder.

He nodded, grinning again. She smiled and waved, heading out of the art department feeling considerably lighter than when she went in, and not just because she wasn't lugging around the lookbook.

_**Modele Magazine Staffroom**_

_**Obviously sexual harassment consequences needed to be more widely broadcast  
**_

"So Tay's got me running errands all over the place, she's got a dress fitting this Saturday. It's kind of cute you know though, seeing her all giddy and excited? Like she's a little kid again."

Kelsi smiled as she spoke and Gabriella laughed at the look on her friend's face, somehow, she knew exactly what Kelsi was thinking.

"It'll be your turn soon enough." she told her encouragingly, a giggle escaping her lips.

Kelsi looked at her and whacked her on the arm before she too broke into a wide smile.

"Look, I'm gonna head back upstairs," Gabriella told her assistant, taking her cup of cold coffee and a stack of new recipes from Zeke into her arms.

She waved to Kelsi as she exited the staffroom, making her way to the lifts opposite. She stood patiently and waited for one to come, smiling politely when a guy she thought might have worked in the PR department followed her in. Gabriella pushed for the 24th floor and asked the guy where he was getting off.

"On your bed." he said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" Gabriella asked, wondering if she needed her ears checked.

"How about we take this to my office? I've got a comfy leather couch just calling your name." he said, walking towards her. He wasn't too close, yet, but you see the elevator's pretty small and pretty soon he had her backed into the corner.

Think fast Gabriella, a voice told her. As quick as a flash Gabriella reached into her purse and fished around for the handy little aerosol container. She pulled out the pepper spray, aimed at the creep's face and pressed down like there was no tomorrow. He howled in agony, his eyes and throat stinging. Gabriella Montez may not know how to do a Texas square dance, she may not know how to bake the perfect quiche(though with Zeke's guidance she was getting darn close!) and she may not know how to fly a plane but boy did she know how to pepper spray the life out of sleazy men.

_**Modele Magazine Corridor**_

_**Ryan may want to start being the overprotective big brother right about now...**_

"Come on," Sharpay's voice echoed clearly through the not-so-sound proof wall, "let's get this hot and steamy!"

Ryan heard someone laugh, something made him think it might have been Zeke.

"Oh come on," Sharpay was saying, "don't be such a baby, real men do it!" Ryan wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be over-hearing this particular exchanging of words.

There was a noise like someone groaning, Ryan felt his ears go pink.

"Come on, if we're going to do this, you have to co-operate! On top, now, you'll love it, I promise, you'll be so glad afterward."

Ryan was in half a mind to bowl the door down and stop his sister from doing... whatever she was doing, but then he decided against, he loved his eyesight too much to let it be tainted.

"Come on," it was Zeke's voice this time, "It can only get better, last time was too hot, this time, well..."

Ryan had had enough. He was going to go right in there and stop his sister from doing.. whatever she was doing... and maybe have a few words with Zeke afterward... well, maybe later when things had, you know, cooled down a little.

"Ugh alright, this time will be perfect, I promise."

Without another thought he pushed open the door, only to be confronted by Sharpay battling with some poor nineteen year old intern whose head she was trying to force on top of a steamer to give him a facial.

Sharpay, Zeke and the unsuspecting intern all looked up at him as he slammed the door open, fist in the air, a murderous look upon his face. However his anger was short lived. Ryan quickly calmed himself, muttered a quick, "sorry," and hastily left the room. The momentary lapse in attention being paid to him gave the intern the perfect chance to make his escape and he hurriedly took off out the door.

"Why do they always run?" Sharpay asked exasperatedly.

_**Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**People should really learn who they're boss' are so they can't jump them in an elevator.**_

Gabriella read through the last paragraph of an article to go in the next issue.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in!" Gabriella said. An all-too-familiar man walked in, but this time with a damp cloth over his eyes.

"I'd like to make a formal complaint against a worker here." his now raspy throat said. Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really?" The man held out his hand and took the cloth off of his eyes. He then looked up and recognized her.

"You!"

"I'm Gabriella Montez, the manager here. So who were you complaining about?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"You pepper-sprayed me! I could sue you for assault!" he yelled, outraged.

"And I could sue, and fire you for sexual harassment. Now, I could be nice and forget this incident because I'm new here and I don't want problems this early in my job, or you could be difficult and I'll have to do what has to be done. Now which one do you pick Mr...?" Gabriella trailed off.

"Matthew Green." he filled in begrudgingly.

"Mr. Green. It's your choice."

"I have work to do." Matthew said angrily, leaving the room.

Wow, Troy looked like a saint compared to him!

_**Modele Magazine Hallway**_

_**Would it cost more than Kelsi's yearly salary to thicken the walls? Probably. **_

"Oh you do that so well!" Kelsi heard Sharpay moan. Oh gosh, not again, she thought, hearing Zeke panting.

"Yeah, that's the spot!" Zeke gasped.

Kelsi thought nothing of it, they were probably baking some more cookies or whatever, and walked around the corner.

"Oh my gosh!" Kelsi yelled, squeezing her eyes shut. Zeke and Sharpay were pressed up against a mirror in Sharpay's empty workroom. Sharpay's hair was a tousled and messy, her lipstick a bit smudged. Zeke's hands were lost under her skirt and you could see faint purple spots forming on his neck.

"Kelsi!" Sharpay squealed in surprise.

Kelsi said nothing, just grabbed the two of them by the scruff of the their necks and dragged them after her. She pulled open Taylor's office door, having dragged them into the lift, thankful for once for the elevator music, where the gang were sitting, pulling them along behind her while they each tried to adjust their ruffled clothing.

"These two are dating!" Kelsi stated to the others indignantly. "...or at least having sex in the hallways!" There was a moment of silence, then, Gabriella and Taylor jumped up and engulfed Sharpay in a hug.

"OMG when?" Gabriella asked.

"I can't wait to tell Sara!" Taylor exclaimed.

Chad and Ryan got up to congratulate Zeke on finally asking her out. Or at least being able to talk to Sharpay like a normal person. But Troy held back, quiet and lost in thought. He sneaked a look at a certain brunette. It must be so great to have a girl you really care about, or perhaps one who cares about you back.

_**Modele Magazine Company Closet**_

_**Sometimes, you need to take karate. Other times, you just take it to fend off the starving models.**_

Troy was pacing. Troy pacing was never a good sign. Well, that's what the guys had figured out in the last fifteen minutes anyway. They'd actually never seen him like this.

"Dude, what's the big problem? Just sit down and talk about it." It was Ryan, avoiding Zeke's embarrassed eyes and being the rational one, as always.

Troy looked at him, "I can't talk about it."

"Why not?" that one came from Chad.

Troy gripped the railing of a low hung bar that was supporting numerous leather jackets, his knuckles turning white as he gritted his teeth.

"Because I just can't."

"Dude," (Jason this time), "it's not good to bottle everything up, just tell us what's wrong and we can fix it."

Troy couldn't take it, the railing of the clothes rack snapped at one end, the jackets fell to the floor.

"Fix it? Fix it? How am I supposed to get a girl to go out with me when she thinks I told her she had a fat ass and evil red eyes?!" his hands were at his head, tugging at his hair, palms spread wide in frustration. He was pacing and yelling like he'd never yelled before.

"Dude!" Troy was leaning against a wall, his head in his palm, his elbow propped up against the wall. Chad placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Troy, it'll be OK."

Troy almost laughed.

"It will not be OK. The girl thinks I'm a huge jerk, she can't stand the sight of me, I've insulted her in almost every way possible and, _and,_ she thinks I'm only up for a one night stand with a beautiful girl and nothing more!"

Troy wasn't yelling as such, but this was worse. This was raw pain, pain and anguish and desperation. This wasn't the Troy they knew, it wasn't the Troy anyone knew.

Troy stood there, just looking at them all, searching from one blank face to the next. Slowly, he lowered the arms that he didn't know he'd raised, his eyes falling to the ground in a mixture of desperation, confusion and guilt.

"Dude, if you're not up for a one night stand, what are you up for?"

And that, was one question Troy couldn't answer. At least, not yet.

* * *

**A bit of an epiphany moment coming for up for a Troy then? Or maybe he'll just give up? Only time will tell... stay tuned to The Onion and the Artichoke as the thrilling story of ten friends continues... **

**Review?**

* * *


	11. The Very Best

**Please don't kill me. This is all my fault, the chapter was just sitting in my account and I was too lazy to get up off my butt and post it. But you don't excuses, you want a chapter, right? Really sorry! But the Christmas holidays are starting so me and Charli will have 7 weeks to get writing! Well here it is! **

**Lotsa love, Bunny and Charli**

_Don't judge a book by its cover - American Proverb_

_**Modele Magazine Hub**_

_**When you work with a whole lot of people who live off cigarettes and gummi worms, it's no wonder there's never any coffee left.**_

It was true, the new issue of Modele (released the day before) had sold the most issues on its day of release than any other fashion magazine had sold that month. That was true, what was also true was that both Gabriella's and Taylor's heads were now being hunted down by rival magazine editors so they could roast them on a spit and eat them for lunch (and probably barf back up later). The thought, well, it made Gabriella's head spin.

It was another Wednesday morning. Another Wednesday morning of meetings, e-mails, photo-shoots and low-cal breakfast cereal. The one thing Gabriella needed right now was coffee. Lots of coffee. Strong coffee.

Gabriella yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand and trying to be inconspicuous.

"Gabby!"

She stopped mid yawn, did she really have to turn around? She counted to ten, plastered something that she hoped resembled a smile on her face and met those baby blue eyes with her own.

"I thought we agreed about the Gabby thing." she told him quietly, not wanting to attract attention to this particular interaction between colleagues. She propped her elbow up round the back of the counter that was reception, it was at the perfect height and she rested her temple in her palm.

Troy just looked at her, his eyes sparkling mischievously,

"No," he replied, "you agreed. That doesn't mean I have to follow."

"It does if you want to keep your job, Bolton."

He shrugged, rolling his eyes with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey uh, what was it that I heard about a broken railing in the closet? You know anything about that, you jean stealer?"

Troy felt the colour rise in his cheeks but he shrugged the comment off.

"Meh, I think there was just too much weight on it, I'll get Drew from maintenance to have a look at it." he smiled, nodding his head and hoping she believed him.

She smiled, "Thanks Bolton."

He smiled again.

"Gosh," she sighed, burying her head further into her palm, "I am in dire need of coffee." She yawned, she looked cute when she did that.

"Hey" he said when she finally looked at him, "you wanna go get some coffee? I know a great little place down the street," he was friendly, not at all cocky, mischievous or devious, he was sincere.

Gabriella gave him a look.

"J-just as friends," he added hastily, wishing they could be more and looking in her eyes to see what she was thinking, letting her know he was being honest.

She looked him over, Troy felt oddly nervous, his stomach twisted and churned, but then she nodded.

He felt his face break into a smile, a relieved, excited and eager smile. He waited while she went and got her bag from her office and the two left in the lift together. He watched as she pressed the button for the ground floor and waited to let her out first.

He led her round to the small, family owned cafe around the corner, a place he'd discovered when he first moved to New York. It was small, quaint and homey, but it had the best coffee in the whole of Manhattan.

Troy led Gabriella to a booth in a corner and immediately a middle aged waitress came over, a smile on her face.

"Good morning Troy." she said in a pleasant voice. "What will it be today?"

"Morning Keisha. I'll have the usual and what do you want Gabriella?" Troy asked. Gabriella guessed he was a regular here. No duh.

"Um I'll have a mochachinno please," Gabriella ordered. Keisha nodded and walked off to get their orders.

Troy turned to Gabriella. "They have the best mochachinnos here." Gabriella smiled.

"I usually have iced chocolates, they're my favourite, but I need caffeine or else I'm going to fall asleep." Gabriella said.

"Oh they have the BEST iced chocolates here!"

Gabriella giggled a little.

"What are you getting?" she asked.

"Oh I always get a cappuccino. Seriously they have the best cappuccinos here!" Troy stated and Gabriella burst out laughing.

"So what do they have here that isn't the best?" Gabriella asked.

"Um...let me think-" Troy said.

"Don't hurt yourself." Gabriella quipped.

"Haha." Troy said sarcastically. "Well I haven't tried their tea, mainly because I don't drink tea, but it smells pretty good!"

"Well I guess I'll have to come back and try it for you." Gabriella said.

"I guess you will." Troy replied, giving Gabriella a soft smile.

Keisha popped up with a tray. "Here you go hun!" she said setting their drinks in front of them. "Oh I'm so rude! I'm Keisha." she said offering her hand to Gabriella. Gabriella shook it.

"I'm Gabriella."

"Oh she's cute, Troy you better keep her!" Keisha said to Troy. Troy's cheeks flushed.

"Keisha-" he tried to say.

"Well if you need anything don't hesitate to yell." Keisha said before scuttling off.

"Sorry about her." Troy said.

"Why? She seems really nice." Gabriella said reaching for her coffe-chocolate concoction.

"Yeah she is, when I first came here she was great. I had only just moved into the city and she was the best, she helped me out. She's kinda like a second mum to me."

Gabriella nodded and took a sip of her mochachinno.

"Man you were right! This is the best!" Gabriella exclaimed.

Gabriella started sculling her drink, not able to get enough of it.

"Hey! You might wanna slow down on the caffeine!" Troy warned. Gabriella put her drink down and hiccuped.

"Hic! Yeah you're right. I hate hiccups." Gabriella stated.

"Just picture that you're crossing a bridge of pink elephants." Troy said.

"What?"

"It helps with the hiccups." Gabriella shrugged and closed her eyes, envisioning the silly event.

Gabriella opened her eyes moments later, hiccup free.

"Where on earth did you get that from?"

"My mum told me to when I was younger. Funny things you pick up from mothers." Troy said as if it was nothing. Gabriella laughed. Wait, was it possible? Was she actually having fun with Troy?

"I remember your mum. She made the best chocolate cake," Gabriella reminisced. Troy laughed at her memory of his mother. "You guys were really close."

"Yeah. I miss her, I haven't seen her in awhile." Troy said sadly.

"Yeah I was pretty close to my mum as well."

"Was?"

"She died 3 years ago." Gabriella looked away.

"She did?" Troy was shocked. The smiley Hispanic woman who made the best brownies couldn't be dead, could she?

"Yeah. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a year earlier."

"Oh I'm so sorry." Troy said sympathetically.

"It's in the past now. And I don't wanna talk about it." Gabriella said, eager to get off of the subject.

"Oh sure!" Troy said, amazingly understanding. "We can talk about...cheese."

"Cheese? Have you been watching _She's The Man_ or something?"

"Of course. It rocks!" Gabriella cracked up laughing again. Troy put his hand under his chin, like Viola/Sebastian did in the movie. "My favourite's Gouda!" he said in a girlie voice. Gabriella couldn't stop laughing. Who knew Bolton was funny?

_She has a beautiful laugh._ Troy thought staring admiringly at Gabriella. _Why the heck did I reject her in Grade School? She's beautiful. _

_Stop being such a girl Bolton,_ a different voice in Troy's mind said.

_I'm not being a girl. I'm in love_.

Wait what? Troy stared at his mug. No, it wasn't possible. He couldn't be in love. He was a bachelor. _No_, he thought. _I have one night stands and hit on girls. Love shouldn't be in the picture! Last week I'm trying to get into her pants...or skirt, or, whatever she's wearing and now I LOVE her?_

"Troy?" Gabriella asked, shaking his shoulder. Troy broke from his thoughts and looked up at Gabriella.

"Yeah?"

"You OK? You spaced off." Gabriella said, concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine," Troy replied.

"Are you feeling OK? We could go if you're feeling sick," Gabriella suggested.

"No! I'm feeling fine! And I like being here with you," Troy insisted. His cheeks grew hot when he realised what he said. Gabriella blushed as well.

"Well we shouldn't take that away from you," Gabriella said, giggling a little. Troy laughed, more out of nervousness than anything else.

"So, when did you move here?" Gabriella asked, taking another, excited sip of her drink.

Troy watched her before replying, "Um, well, I went to NYU and then moved her officially after I graduated. So I guess that makes it about three years ago."

Gabriella nodded,

"You climbed the job ladder pretty quickly Mr. Modelling Director," she smiled.

"Speak for yourself Little Miss. Manager!" She laughed, it made him laugh as well.

"Little?" she wiggled her eyebrows at him, silently arguing with him. He shrugged, refusing to a apologise. She rolled her eyes, he grinned.

"You're gonna pay for that." Gabriella promised.

"Whatcha gonna do? Strangle me with your teeny weeny hands?" Troy teased.

"I might. But I have lots of things up my sleeve. You better learn to sleep with one eye open."

"Ooooooh I'm scared." Troy said laughing.

"You should be. I could get Sharpay onto you." Troy immediately stopped laughing.

"Or I could tell Taylor that you can't go to the wedding." Troy's eyes went big.

"She'd kill me!" Troy exclaimed.

"I bet I look a lot more scary now," Gabriella said putting on her sweetest smile.

_No you look as sexy as hell._

"Totally. You definitely own the Grim Reaper look! I can see the resemblance." Troy joked.

"And I can see the resemblance between you and Frodo!" Gabriella shot back.

"I thought we agreed you were the small one here, not me."

"No you agreed." Gabriella said using Troy's statement from earlier.

Troy shook his head, knowing he was beat.

"Hey we should go, we have work to do." Gabriella said.

"Oh right, I forgot I was with my boss." Troy said. Gabriella giggled.

"Yup! And you're not going to get away with anything." Gabriella reached into her purse and pulled out a ten but Troy had already yanked her from her seat.

"What about paying?" Gabriella objected.

"Already taken care of." Troy said and led her out of the shop.

Troy led her down the street, the two talking as they went. Troy came down here often, so much that he knew Sam. Sam was a guy Troy had met a few years ago, he didn't have a home, he basically had nothing, but he was Troy's friend. As they passed his usual spot were a pile of dirty blankets lay, Troy was sad to see that Sam wasn't there, but pulled a fifty from his wallet and tucked it in the corner of the blankets anyway. Gabriella watched him do it, her eyes were soft and she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

He stood up and faced her, she gave him a tender smile. He smiled back briefly and turned his gaze to the ground, he continued walking but she stayed where she was.

He turned to look back at her.

"You coming?" he half laughed at her.

She smiled again and looked at the blankets but then turned back to Troy and ran to catch up with him.

"What did you do that for?" she asked him not accusingly but softly, sweetly. He shrugged, embarrassed.

"That's just Sam. I know him, he's a good guy."

Gabriella nodded, thinking.

_Perhaps... perhaps I was wrong about him_, she thought. _Maybe he's not so bad after all? Maybe even...likeable?_

* * *


	12. The Onion

**Ok I'm soooo sorry! I'm a horrible updater. Charli gave me this chapter ages ago but things have been kinda busy at home. Not that I'll bore you with the details but I'm just hoping that you'll understand. In this chapter you get a bit of a look into Troy and Gabriella's heads. We both hope you enjoy! **

**Love, Charli and Bunny**

_**Shrek: **Ogres are like onions.**  
****Donkey: **They stink?**  
****Shrek: **Yes. No.**  
****Donkey: **Oh, they make you cry.**  
****Shrek: **No.**  
****Donkey: **Oh, you leave em out in the sun, they get all brown, start sproutin' little white hairs.**  
****Shrek: **NO. Layers. Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers._

_**Modele Magazine Company Closet**_

_**It's normal to lock yourself in a closet when you need time to think, right?**_

Troy was tired of thinking. He was tired of thinking and re-thinking and analysing and re-analysing. In short, he was tired of pining for Gabriella Montez. Except that he wasn't pining.... OK, maybe he was. He loved her now, or at least he wasn't just after her bra to stick on his wall anymore, but did that count?

Probably. He shook his head, trying to stop his thoughts from chasing each other round so much. OK, So what if he loved her? People loved people all the time. Chad loved Taylor all the time, so it couldn't be that hard. Wait, no Chad was easily distracted and Troy was pretty sure the Tay came second to the NBA Lakers vs. Heat finals. OK, what about Ryan? He loved Sara right? More than anything right? Ok... except maybe vintage circa 1922 hats... Zeke loved Sharpay didn't he? But then again, he hadn't yet made her a creme brulee.. but that probably wouldn't happen till the day he proposed. Hmm. But he loved Gabriella didn't he? And he loved her more than anything right?

Troy made a mental checklist, more than Basketball? Yes. More than his job? Yes. More than Agnes? YES. More than Calvin Klein jeans? Without a doubt. More than his mum's chocolate cake on his birthday? That came in a close second. Then came the big question, did he love her more than one night stands and random flings in Cabo? Troy didn't even need to think. He already knew the answer. But then after that big question came another. What would he do about it? And would he love her forever? Or was this just a childhood crush that felt like so much more? And would Gabriella even _consider _loving him back?

All these stupid questions! Troy thought. Since when did love get so complicated? Troy knew the answers. Would he want to spend the rest of his life with his head haunted by what-ifs? Of course he would love her forever. If the childhood crush was real love that lasted untill his last breath then yes. And no. She'd want someone more serious, someone more like her. Someone less...Troy-like. Troy sighed. Whoever said that thing about un-requited love, they were right.

Troy buried his head in his hands. If love was suddenly going to be this hard, perhaps it was a good thing that she would never love him back, then maybe all the confusion would go away, maybe there would be less pain. But Troy knew that if she didn't love him, then there'd be a whole new kind of pain, a new knid of pain that he wasn't entirely sure he could deal with.

_**Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Anyone have any sweaters?**_

There are some days when you're so busy and overwhelmed that all you want to do is crawl under your covers and hibernate for the winter. There are some days when life is perfect, you aren't too busy but there is stuff (mainly fun) to do. And then are the most boring days of all; when you have to turbo speed through everything and then there's nothing to do. Today Gabriella was having one of those days. You know when you're so bored that you wish someone would come and ask you to do something? Even if it was cleaning the lint off of their sweaters or cleaning the gutters? Though Gabriella was hoping for a linty sweater over a clogged gutter. They were in a 24 storey building. She'd leave that to the crazy people. Did they even have gutters?

_The poor gutter deprived building_, Gabriella thought.

Oh, who am I kidding? I work at a fashion magazine. People wouldn't be caught here with linty sweaters. That's fashion suicide. Like the fashion slitting of wrists, along with wearing blue with brown.

Just as Gabriella was about to go absolutely insane, a small distraction (or perhaps hinderance, she couldn't make up her mind), appeared in the form of Kelsi, appearing at her door telling her she'd finished with the interns and had sent the new proofs to marketing and had already done the tax returns.

"What else?" Kelsi asked.

It wasn't often that she had to actually ask Gabriella what needed doing, Kelsi was usually so busy she ate lunch at her desk and chatted with her friends telepathically rather than by IM like everyone else.

Gabriella looked at her, her eyes not quite focused, her pencil twirling round in her fingers as if by magic. Kelsi clicked her heels together and Gabriella, startled, focused her eyes and sat up straight.

"Um, Kels I'm a bit..." Gabriella searched for the right words, "snowed under. Would you mind going down to... uh, art and... I dunno, sorting out the new layout with Jason? He needs a woman to help him with this one." In her dazed state, Gabriella hardly even realised that she was playing fairy god-mother, but felt quite relieved when Kelsi nodded and left the room without another word.

Gabriella looked at her watch. 10:13. Great. She had about 2 hours left till lunch. She should've gone to help Jason herself but Troy usually came in about now to ask her on a date.

Wait, _what?_

Gabriella backtracked. She wanted to stay in her office so she could see Troy come in and then reject him? Had she really come to this? Where she wanted Troy to ask her out?

But she would say no, so it was pointless. But did Gabriella like the attention Troy gave her? Or was she so used to Troy that him asking her on a date was part of her daily routine?

Surely that was it, Troy was a womanizer, totally not her type so she couldn't _possibly_ like him, right? Gabriella needed reassurance. Or chocolate. Or both would do.

_**Closet currently being occupied by Troy Bolton**_

_**It's great for thinking AND storing things.**_

Should I go talk to her? We had a good time yesterday but...she'd only shoot me down again, the repetition of his thoughts was almost hurting Troy's head. It's better if she doesn't have me, she's seemed to survive before she re-met me and she'll be happy afterwards. She'll probably go on to marry some CEO of a large company called Nathaniel, have 3 perfect kids with posh names like Britney or Ethan who will go to Ivy League colleges like Brown while I marry some poor girl who I knocked up in Cabo and live the rest of my miserable life pining over Gabriella.

OK, so I either admit defeat and go to Gabby, tail between my legs and beg her to give me a shot, or I politely wait a year before handing in my resignation under the pretence that I'm looking for a more relaxed lifestyle and runaway to Cabo which subsequently results in a shotgun wedding with bad champagne. Option one resulting in possible rejection, humiliation and the need to resign from Modele anyway. Option two resulting in a life spent drinking way too much and smoking cigars in some little village all the while growing older, aggressive and slowly but surely, losing any remaining charm.

_**Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Whoever controls time, can you please make it go faster?**_

Gabriella looked at her watch. 10:21. Usually Troy came by at 10-10:15 with a gift that would add cellulite to her thighs and request her company for Friday night. He was 6 minutes late. Where the heck was he????

What if he was hurt? Wait no, don't be silly, Gabriella thought. He probably just took the hint and decided it was useless... cause it was.

_**Modele Company Closet **_

_**... aka Troy's Thinking Spot**_

OK, so basically I'm stuffed either way. Admit I love Gabby and face undeniable rejection, run away to Cabo and spend the rest of my years wishing I could have told Gabby how I feel.

Troy laughed to himself, typical of Gabriella to make things so difficult. When they were younger she once spent a whole three weeks planning a very detailed, planned out trip to the zoo, which inevitably got rained out so they had to stay at her house watching movies instead.

He looked around, the company closet was packed full of all sorts of things, all this season, all ridiculously expensive...

_**Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Occupied by Mrs. Gabriella Bolton...oops, I mean Gabriella Montez**_

Mrs. Gabriella Bolton

Mrs. G Bolton

Gabriella Bolton

Gabby Bolton

Gabriella Bolton-Montez

Gabriella Montez-Bolton

Mr. and Mrs. Troy Bolton

Mr. and Mrs. T. Bolton

Mrs. Troy Bolton

Gabriella quickly put away her sketch pad as she realized what she was dong, not wanting to think about the humiliation that would come if someone found that. She sighed. How could she not want something that her heart so clearly wanted? But she couldn't possibly like Troy. He was a player. A jerk. A womanizer.

But yesterday she saw a different side. A side she liked. Was this the side Chad and Taylor and the rest saw? The side that meant they would always be there for each other, even Troy, no matter what? Why couldn't she see it sooner? Then she would feel less guilty about liking Troy.

Wait, I DON'T LIKE TROY!... right?

Gabriella quickly got more and more consumed and confused by her thoughts as the minutes slowly ticked on.

_**Still in the Modele Company Closet**_

_**YSL and D&G crease too easily**_

It doesn't make sense, Troy thought to himself as he began sorting through a pile of YSL dresses for an upcoming shoot. How can someone hate the person that loves them? Gabby hates me for sure, she's nice enough, but it's not like what happened when we were eleven didn't leave its scars.

Man I was so stupid back then! If I hadn't said those stupid things we could've been together right now! We could have had years! Gabby could have had a diamond ring on a significant left hand finger by now, accompanined by a white gold wedding band, two perfect kids running around with the dog, Gabby lying on the other side of the bed, Troy would have been out working to look after them all, Gabby too, coming home from work each day even when she was seven months pregnant with their third child, a child they could have named after her grandmother...

Troy looked down at the dress in the hands, its delicate silk bodice was creased and almost unrecognisable. He dropped it to the floor in disgust, looking around for something less delsicate to sort... while he sorted out his thoughts.

_**Office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Ok to the guy who controls time, Gabriella changed her mind. She wants you to go back to a couple weeks ago.**_

Gabriella stared at the cock on her computer screen. 10:40. She missed him. She missed his cheeky smile and quirky comebacks. She missed his gorgeous eyes and deep voice. She missed his stubbornness and persistence. Gabriella stood up. She was gonna march up to him and ask him if his dinner offer had an expiry date.

But what if he had moved on? What if he was with another girl? He'll probably be asking a gorgeous, size zero, blonde model out just as I walk up to him. It's true size zero models no longer existed in the Modele world but he could've met her someplace else!

Gabriella sat back down. Why couldn't I see this side before? Guys are confusing. I thought I left all this behind in high school...

_**Three Guesses Where**_

_**Troy wants cookies and... a family? **_

Well maybe she wouldn't say no? Troy shook his head and scolded himself for wishful thinking.

He continued stacking Manolos on the shelf in front of him as he slipped again into that kind of dazed wondering/dreaming frame of mind where he didn't quite have control of his thoughts...

Gabby was at the kitchen counter, but not in any apartment he'd ever seen, it was the top storey, and had city wide views out its windows. Her chocolate brown hair tumbled down her back and her white t-shirt had splatters of dough all over it. Her dark blue jeans had floury hand prints on the thighs, there was cookie batter on her nose. There were two children with her; a girl of about four sitting on the counter, her dark hair in pigtails and her sticky fingers making indents in the dough. There was a small boy standing next to Gabiella, not yet tall enough to see over the bench, standing on a stool, his hands curled over the edge of the counter, his eyes on the mother's hands, breaking small pieces of dough off and rolling it in her hands.

Troy, in his mind's eye, watched as the three people laughed and talked, Gabriella making sure each of the small children got a chance to help. She was beautiful, so was her-their-daughter, and their son.

Gah, Troy was mad. Mad at himself for being so stupid. It was no use dwelling on what if's and maybe's. He had to do something, but what? Would he ratherbe woken up four times every morning or have a broken heart?

_**The office of Gabriella Montez**_

_**Who says dreams can't come true?**_

Troy barged into the room, perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect eyes. The perfect man for Gabriella. He held a dozen roses in his perfect hand and held them out to Gabriella.

"Gabriella, I'm sorry I've been such a womanising jerk. Do you think you could forgive me?" Troy asked.

"Of course Troy." Gabriella said dreamily.

"Good, cause I couldn't do this if you don't forgive me." Troy strode up to Gabriella, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a deep, passionate kiss. They broke apart and rested their foreheads against one another.

"I love you." Troy whispered and Gabriella felt herself get lost in his blue eyes.

Gabriella woke up, her head hurt from resting it against the hard desk as she slept. She wiped a small small spot of drool from the corner of her mouth and straightened herself up. She was glad she hadn't had another type of dream or else it would be very interesting for the occupant in the office next to her.

As Gabriella fixed her lipgloss she couldn't help but think of the song off Disney's version of Cinderella, "A dream is a wish your heart makes."

**Please review and tell us what you think! Feedback is greatly appreciated!**


	13. The Artichoke

**Uh hi. Please don't hit me. I let a bunch of emails pile up in my inbox and this chapter that the lovely Charli (Happy Birthday to her for awhile ago)** **got lost somewhere in it. But anyway, here's chapter 13!**

**Love, Charli and Bunny  
**

_**A woman is like a... artichoke; you have to do a bit of work, before you get to her heart.  
-Inspector Clouseau, Pink Panther**_

_**Art Department of Modele Magazine****  
Luckily, Jason was running out of ball point pens**_

Kelsi hummed softly to herself as she made her way down to the Art Department. From the looks of things - and from Gabriella's mental state - Kelsi figured she would get to spend the rest of the day with Jason. The thought made her smile. She walked into his office - which was really just a large corner of the open plan, huge office that was the art rooms. It was screened off by silk panels and a large, white acrylic table was in the middle of Jason's space. His desk, drawers, shelving and a rack of sample clothes stood around the two other walls.

"Kelsi!" Jason was perhaps a little too enthusiastic. "What brings you here?"

Kelsi smiled, "Gabby sent me down; she's gone all weird, dreamy kinda weird. Anyway, it means I get a break from interdepartmental memos and scheduling to come down here and help with the new layouts."

"Does Gabriella get dreamy-weird often?" Jason asked hopefully.

"Who knows." Kelsi said with a shrug. "So what can I do for you Mr. Cross?"

"Well you could help me pick out colour schemes. Blue or red?"

"Well blue is more friendly but red is more eye catching so I think red." Kelsi decided. This was quite easy, Kelsi decided.

"Ok," Jason pulled out an overstuffed book and a rainbow of colours burst out at Kelsi. He flicked past a couple of pages and Kelsi saw pages of different shades of red. She gulped.

"Ok so what do you think, deep red, pinky red, light red, cherry red?"

Kelsi just stared at the book in front of her, gulping silently and pointing to the brightest red she could see.

"That one." she said decidedly.

Jason nodded and smiled, "My thoughts exactly."

Kelsi smiled, "So what else goes into a new layout Mr. Cross? I mean other than cherry red letter heads?"

"Well Miss. Neilson," Jason said smiling, playing along, "we still have to choose fonts, photos for all the contributors, format for individual page layouts, cover design and format and, we have to choose how we're gonna put it all together and in what order."

Kelsi nodded again, "Anything else?"

Jason looked at her, a smile playing on his lips,

"We need to go get supplies from the resource cupboard, I don't have a single pen that works." They walked down the corridor in silence, their hands brushing against each other. They loved every minute of it. Finally, they arrived at the resource cupboard, Jason opened the door and let Kelsi go in first. She smiled and he followed her in.

"So, blue pens right?" Jason nodded.

"Anything else?" He shrugged.

"OK." Kelsi replied, "Blue pens are over there." Kelsi pointed to a box sitting on a shelf at the other end of the cupboard.

"Right, blue pens." Jason said nodding and heading in the direction she was pointing in. Kelsi watched him go, looking around what could be described as a small room which housed box upon box of stationery, everything a Modele employee could need.

"Right, got the pens," Jason said, coming back to Kelsi with a grin on his face and two boxes of ten blue ballpoint pens.

"Great," Kelsi smiled, "let's go." She turned around, trying the handle of the door.

"That's odd," she said to Jason, "it won't open."

Jason gave her a questioning look, "are you sure?" he tried the handle himself, nothing happened.

"Hmmm. Looks like we might be stuck." he said calmly, almost a little too calmly.

Kelsi felt a moment of panic, but then she looked at Jason's face. Was it her imagination, or did he seem like he was trying desperately to hide a small smile?

_**The Office of Gabriella Montez****  
When the going gets tough, the tough locks herself in her office to think but only gets more and more confused.**_

If you go into Modele Magazine's building you will find Gabriella Montez's office. If you go into Gabriella Montez's office in the corner you will find a rolled up ball of Gabriella Montez, knees pulled tight to chest and head down. If you go into Gabriella Montez's mind you will find a big, fat, huge mess where she attempted to get her mind around Troy Bolton.

In her mind you will find 60 percent confusion, 5 percent anger, 10 percent is lost, 25 percent fustration yet all of that makes 100 percent in love with your work colleague. So how can you just fall in love with a guy after having coffee with him? Well other than the best coffee you will ever have, it's also seeing the side of him you saw when you were younger, the loving, caring side.

_Stupid loving, caring side, _Gabriella thought. She got up and paced around the room, pulling at her hair.

She sighed, there were so many, no, too many reasons why she couldn't love Troy. She could think of, well... well she couldn't think of any onf the top of her head but that was just because she was a kind person disinclined to think ill of anyone. If she sat down and really tried to think of why she couldn't love him, she could write a list so long it would be featured in the Guiness Book of World Records. In fact the list would be so long no one could ever read it because they'd die of old age before they finished it.

Gabriella grabbed a piece of blank paper from her desk, taking a pen from her pocket and sitting down to think.

_Reasons Not to Love Troy Bolton,_ she headed up the page, chewing on the end of her pencil before writing anything down.

_He's a monkey's ass_

_He's superficial_

_He's just in it so he can hang my panties on his wall_

_He's the most genuine, caring, loving person I've ever met and has the body of a god._

Gabriella tore the piece of paper to shreds, crossing her arms over her chest tightly and whispering to herself quietly, "Jeez Bolton, why can't you still be a monkey's ass?"

_**Modele Magazine Supply Closet****  
What uses oxygen up faster, making out or not making out?**_

They'd been stuck in the supply closet for almost an hour, the thin strip of light coming from underneath the door blinked tantalisingly at them whenever someone walked past. Unfortunately for Jason and Kelsi, or perhaps fortunately, both had left their phones in their respective offices, and the entire Modele Building had long ago been soundproofed due to the constant hustle and bustle and cat fights between the models that, trust us, no one wanted to hear.

So what to do in a semi-dark closet full to the brim with ballpoint pens and other stationery supplies? Well currently Jason and Kelsi were huddled close together, faces close together playing Tic Tac Toe on Jason's arm. Kelsi put an X in the bottom middle square, getting 3 in a row. Jason looked up at Kelsi, his face just inches from Kelsi's face.

"How the heck can someone win 14 times in a row?" Jason asked, baffled by Kelsi's expert Tic Tac Toe playing.

"Three brothers." Kelsi replied, shrugging.

Jason raised his eyebrows inquisitively, "three brothers? Wow."

"Yeah," Kelsi replied, as they started up a new game, "never a quiet moment."

Jason nodded, looking her in the eye before cracking a smile and saying, as she won, yet again, "New game. Ten questions, we'll take it in turns, I'll start."

Kelsi nodded, willing to go along with it.

"Middle name?" he asked smiling, simultaneously wrapping his hand in hers as they started on an intense Peanuckle war.

"Michelle," she replied, "and yours?"

"Paul. Names of brothers, mum and dad." he stated, waiting for her reply.

"Three older brothers, Matt and Toby and Dylan. Mum's name is Christie, dad's is John."

Jason nodded, she'd almost beaten him then, but he'd manoeuvred his thumb out of the way just in time.

"Um, where'd you grow up?" she asked.

"Rhode Island."

"And you?" he asked her.

"Boston. Biggest fear?"

"Jellyfish." he replied, adding a shudder for effect, "yours?"

"The plague."

He laughed, she hit his arm for it and he rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, studied it in grade school, it gave me nightmares for months."

"OK," she asked, trying to pin down his thumb unsuccessfully, "dream job?"

"The one I've got. What did you major in in college?"

"Musical theatre and composition."

He raised his eyebrows, "And you're working as a P.A?"

She nodded, "I kinda lost my enthusiasm for it after a while. Did a few courses in business and management, entrepreneurial type stuff, as well as event planning."

He nodded, "Must help then, being Taylor's wedding planner and all."

Kelsi rolled her eyes, "Nothing in the world could prepare a person for planning that wedding. Seriously, when I get married it'll be in someone's backyard and you can all wear jeans for all I care."

"Wow," Jason said incredulously, "I thought all you girls wanted big, extravagant weddings with imported French flowers and Edwardian table napkins."

Kelsi almost snorted with laughter, "Whose crazy wedding have you been to? We're not all like that, besides, the trend now is 1950s glamour, not royal doilies."

Jason rolled his eyes, "good to know."

Kelsi chuckled, finally pinning his thumb under hers. He gave up, she laughed at the look on his face as he sat back, preparing for more questions.

"My turn right?" she asked, he nodded and she continued, "OK, on the topic of weddings, how many have you actually been to? Seeing as you know such random things about them."

He rolled his eyes, "Two. My sister's, and my friends' from college." She nodded.

"My turn, if you don't what the... the table napkins, or I'm guessing, the meringue dress, what do you want for your wedding?"

She gave him a look, her heart pounding, could it be that he was asking that becuase he thought they might... you know, share the same wedding?

No, of course not, Kelsi mentally scolded herself for such wishful thinking.

"I dunno," she shrugged, "definitely no meringue. A simple, clean cut dress, summer, white rose petals and flowers everywhere, in someone's back yard or something. Outdoors, on the grass. A small wedding, closest friends and family only." She shrugged again, slightly uncomfortable. She was trying to stop herself from envisioning herself standing in a white dress next to the man who currently sitting on a box of copier paper, looking at her intently.

"I just want it to be special you know? Intimate and personal. Not some big party where I get impractical gifts from people I don't know."

Jason looked thoughtful, "Just you and your loved ones on your special day?"

"Yeah." Kelsi nodded. "I don't understand how people can spend their day with a hundred people they don't know and don't really care about. I guess for some people that's how they like it but it's just not for me."

Jason rested his hand on Kelsi's own small one. "Don't worry, you'll get your perfect wedding."

_**Office of Gabriella Montez****  
You know it's time to panic when the modelling industry suddenly starts to look attractive.**_

Gabriella didn't know what the time was, she couldn't tell you what day of the week it was, or what month. She couldn't tell you what the US Dollar was trading at, or why she preferred Manolos to Jimmy Choos. Which was weird, because all these things usually rolled off her tongue without her having to think. She could, however, tell you the topics of all seven of Troy's class presentations in the fifth grade, tell you each and every colour that was revealed in his hair when he stepped into the sun, could tell you his favourite pizza toppings, books and-Gabriella! What are you thinking? She scolded herself, her eyes wide as she shook her head, realising where her train of mindless thought had taken her. Those were dangerous waters, to be avoided at all costs. She opened her desk draw and sighed, she had paperwork to do, numbers to crunch. But the only paperwork she wanted to do was writing out Mrs. Bolton a thousand times and the numbers that she wanted to crunch was how much money to put in their children's college fund.

Gabriella shook her head. She needed help. And fast. She couldn't carry on obsessing over Troy when there was nothing to obsess about. Her and Troy equaled FRIENDS ONLY.

Psht. Who was she trying to kid? She didn't want that. She wanted to share kisses and cuddles with him. She wanted to go for nice walks with him where they would talk about their day, or even if they had nothing to share, they'd find something to joke about. She wanted to share a booth with him at Keisha's, THEIR booth, and have coffee or iced chocolate or tea or whatever they felt like. She wanted to dress up and get excited when he would ring the door bell to pick her up for their date. She wanted a lot of things. But what did he want? A quick lay and then to avoid her at all costs? Or did he want the same thing as she did? The most sucky thing was, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't read his mind or his actions to see what he wanted.

Nope, scratch that. The most sucky thing was that she couldn't get him out of her mind. He was slowly breaking his way into her heart. Despite all the efforts Gabriella made to keep him out.

**Please review! xx**


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